John Elderfield, chief curator emeritus of painting an sculpture at the Museum of Modern Art, and Stephanie D’Alessandro, Gary C. and Frances Comer Curator of Modern Art at the Art Institute of Chicago, discuss the exhibition “Matisse: Radical Invention, 1913-1917.” Between Henri Matisse's return from Morocco in 1913 and his departure for Nice in 1917, he produced some of the most demanding, experimental, and enigmatic works of his career. “Matisse: Radical Invention, 1913-1917” is on view at MoMA July 18-October 11.

Surrealist painter Paul Delvaux painted his own beach fantasy in 1942 -- “The Village of the Mermaids.” The foreground tells one story, and in the distance there’s a surprise. Judith Kampfner went into the vaults of the Art Institute of Chicago to see Delvaux’s painting with curator ...

Surrealist painter Paul Delvaux painted his own beach fantasy in 1942. It's called the Village of the Mermaids. The foreground tells one story, and in the distance there's a surprise. Judith Kampfner went into the vaults of the Art Institute of Chicago to see Delvaux's painting with curator Stephanie D'Alessandro.

Surrealist painter Paul Delvaux painted his own beach fantasy in 1942. It's called the Village of the Mermaids. The foreground tells one story, and in the distance there's a surprise. Judith Kampfner went into the vaults of the Art Institute of Chicago to see Delvaux's painting with curator Stephanie D'Alessandro.