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Henri Matisse: Drawing with Scissors: Masterpieces from the Late Years

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Originally published in an expensive hardcover edition as a catalogue to a European exhibition of the same name, Prestel has wisely chosen to republish this important book in a smaller, softbound and attractively priced format. This is an unexpected boon to lovers of Henri Matisse's art, as "Drawing With Scissors" is the most important publication on Matisse's famous last works - the paper cut-outs or gouaches decoupees - to appear in many years, and effectively supercedes John Elderfield's "The Cut-Outs of Henri Matisse" as the best introduction to these famous works. The authors are a noted group of European art historians, and each of the essays here explore different aspects of the making, meaning, and interpretation of these unique objects, from the cut-outs as Matisse's final attempt to unite color and drawing to the cut-outs as revolutionary works which explode the traditional opposition between "high art" and "decoration" in Western history. Although visually simple to the extreme and coloristically exuberant, these last works were the product of many years of searching and investigation into the nature of reality and the creative process, and the authors do justice to the unexpected intellectual heft behind the gorgeous appearance of the cut-outs. Physically, this small book is gorgeous - the layout and design equal the hardcover edition and the quality of the color reproductions is stunning. A must-have for any serious art library.

Compiled and co-edited by art historians Oliver Berggruen and Max Hollein, Henri Matisse: Drawing With Scissors, Masterpieces From The Late Years is a compilation of learned essays on the work of the great artist after age-related illness, which confining him either to his bed or a wheel chair, would no longer permit him to paint, so Mattise took up cutting out colored paper patterns and having his assistants mount them in special patterns under his guidance (often from his wheel chair). The profusely illustrated essays include "Jazz: Rhythm and Meaning (Margret Stuffmann); "Painting with Scissors: Jazz and Verve" (Michael Anthonioz); "Drafts for Publications and Maquettes" (Ingrid Pfeiffer); "Decoration beyond Decoration" (Remi Labrusse); "Resonance and Depth in Matisse's Paper Cut-Outs" (Olivier Berggruen); "The Windows in the Chapel of the Rosary in Vence" (Ingrid Pfeiffer); "Philodenros" (Hannes Bohringer); and "Painting alone remains full of adventure - Matisse's Cut-Outs as an Inspiration for Nicolas de Stael, Ellsworth Kelly and Andy Warhol" (Gunda Luyken). A superb guide, Henri Matisse is very strongly recommended addition to personal and academic library Art History reference collections is enhanced with the inclusion of an informative foreword by Max Hollein and Olivier Berggruen, an extensive biography of Mattise, a list of illustrated works, and a selected bibliography for further study.

A must have for anyone interested in Matisse's "Drawing with Scissors" technique. The photos of Matisse actually creating some of these works gave my art student proof supporting my claims that he taped a tool to a long stick and drew on paper that was attached to the wall or ceiling, without them actually having to read a word. As they say, "a picture is worth a thousand words". Many of Matisse's masterpieces from the late years are included in full color.