Henri Matisse: The Cut-Outs

An in-depth examination of Matisse's cut-outs in terms of the methods and materials that he used

Henri Matisse (1869 - 1954) is one of the leading figures of modern art. His unparalleled cut-outs are among the most significant of any artist's late works. When ill health first prevented Matisse from painting, he began to cut into painted paper with scissors as his primary technique to make maquettes for a number of commissions, from books and stained glass window designs to tapestries and ceramics.

Taking the form of a 'studio diary', this catalogue accompanied an exhibition at Tate Modern and the Museum of Modern Art, New York, in 2014-15 and re-examines the cut-outs in terms of the methods and materials that Matisse used, and looks at the tensions in the works between finish and process; fine art and decoration; contemplation and utility; and drawing and colour.

The catalogue is clearly organised and features beautiful reproductions of some 130 gouache cut-outs, from 1936-54, and include open-out double pages showing "The Swimming Pool", 1952, "The Parakeet and the Mermaid", 1952, and "Large Decoration with Masks", 1953. 

The catalogue also offers a Selected Bibliography, a List of Exhibited Works and an Index.

Details

• Author: Karl Buchberg
• Paperback: 256 pages | 200 colour illustrations
• ISBN: 9781849761307
• Publication date: June 2014
• Dimensions: 27.2 x 22.7 cm