The Cut-Outs of Henri Matisse [Paperback]

John Elderfield (Author), Henri Matisse (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1978

With the simple technique of the paper cutout, Matisse revitalized his work and "attained a form filtered to its essentials."

Product Details

• Paperback: 127 pages
• Publisher: George Braziller; 1ST edition (November 1978)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807608866
• ISBN-13: 978-0807608869
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,106,622 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Beauty of Simplicity, July 29, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Cut-Outs of Henri Matisse (Paperback)

This relatively modest book is nevertheless the single best work to have appeared on Matisse's great cut-outs (with the exception of a 1977 National Gallery of Art catalogue), which he made from 1947-1954. John Elderfield's essay discusses the genesis of the cut-outs, and places them in the context of 20th century art in an elegant manner which is refreshingly free of art-historical jargon. Elderfield's essay is followed by a section of color plates which, for the most part, are superbly designed and arranged. Matisse's delicious eye-candy is allowed to speak for itself. The reader is continually dazzled by the purity of color and simplicity of form, and the chronological arrangement of the plates seems to re-create the genesis of the works as they evolved in the artist's mind. However, the single problem I have with this otherwise nearly perfect book is that a number of the plates are far too small, particularly the illustration of the "Large Decoration With ! Masks," which reduces a 30-foot cut-out to the size of a postage stamp, neatly destroying any ability to imagine the beauty of the original work. Also, the color reproduction could be better - the plates, except in one particular print run I have come across, have an odd, bleached or washed-out look that lessens the impact of Matisse's colors. Nevertheless, I still recommend the book for its excellent design and writing. It is a marvelous introduction to the aesthetics behind some of the most simple yet beautiful works of 20th century art.