Henri Matisse, Le lanceur de couteax (The Knife Thrower), plate XV of XX from Jazz, 1947, Pochoir (stencil) on Arches paper, 16 3/4” x 25 3/5”, Bank of America Collection. © 2015 Succession H. Matisse / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
The Art Books of Henri Matisse
An exhibition of art books by one of the greatest artists of the 20th century, Henri Matisse (1869-1954), opens at the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art February 27. Drawn from the Bank of America Collection, The Art Books of Henri Matisse includes 80 framed original illustrations with text from some of Matisse’s most significant books. Best known for his boldly colored paintings, Matisse created a body of work that also included drawings, prints, cut-outs and sculpture, as well as costume and stage set designs. The artist didn’t create illustrated books until his late 60s, but the same flowing lines that characterized his oils and pencil studies were carried over to the printmaking medium.
Four of Matisse’s art books are featured in the exhibition, including Jazz, one of the most celebrated artists’ books in the history of modern art. It features one of Matisse’s most widely reproduced images – the iconic illustration of Icarus as a languid black figure with a red circle at his heart, plunging downwards against a royal blue night sky, surrounded by yellow stars. In addition to the core group of Matisse works, a limited number of artists’ books from the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art’s permanent collection will also be on view. The exhibition runs through September 7, 2015.
Exhibition Video Trailer
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