Conversation so far:
When was Paris an artist?
first half of the 13th century.
What did he paint?
He was somewhat old-fashioned in retaining a roundness in his figures.
Was he a popular artist?
became especially popular in the first half of the 13th century.
Was he a painter?
Tinted drawings.
What did he draw?
His compositions are very inventive; his position as a well-connected monk may have given him more confidence in creating new compositions.

Question: What were the new compositions?
Self-contained rewrite: What were Matthew Paris' new compositions?