"I have been no more than a medium, as it were"

Henri Matisse was a humble artist who thought that his works were not entirely his own creations, however rather affected by external elements. The quote "I have been no more than a medium, as it were" suggests that Matisse saw himself as a conduit through which art streamed into the world. He believed that he was merely a vessel of creative expression, and that his works were a result of his interactions with the world around him. This declaration reflects Matisse's belief that artists are not developers in the true sense of the word, but rather interpreters who use their skills to capture and communicate the essence of the world.