Matisse: In Search of True Painting

by Rebecca A. Rabinow (Editor), Dorthe Aagesen (Editor)

Throughout his long career, Henri Matisse (1869–1954) continually expanded the boundaries of his art. By repeating images in pairs, trios, and series, he conducted an ongoing dialogue with his earlier works in order to, as he put it, "push further and deeper into true painting." In this fresh approach to a much-studied artist, prominent scholars from the United States and Europe examine more than sixty works in concise chapters that focus on this aspect of Matisse’s working process. From early pairs such as Young Sailor I and II (1907–8) through a series of late studio scenes from Venice (1946–48), Matisse is shown revisiting a given theme with the aim of devising innovative, often radical, solutions to such problems as how to portray light, handle paint, select colors, and manipulate perspective. New technical studies of the early paired works and photographs documenting the evolution of his later paintings help to elucidate Matisse’s complex evolution. In numerous excerpts from letters and interviews, he is revealed as an artist who regularly questioned himself and his methods, a man of powerful intellect who regarded each new painting as an adventure. A significant addition to art historical literature, In Search of True Painting is a revelatory study of a seminal figure in 20th-century modernism.

Published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Distributed by Yale University Press

Exhibition Centre Pompidou, Paris (03/07/12–06/18/12) Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen (07/14/12–10/28/12) The Metropolitan Museum of Art (12/04/12–03/17/13)

Genres: Art

260 pages, Hardcover

First published September 25, 2012

Reviews

[Servabo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Matisse's pairs of paintings are part of a continuum. He repeated images throughout his career, and each repetition has its own story and circumstances. While this manner of working is certainly not unique to Matisse, his need to progress methodically from one painting to the next is especially striking. Taken as a whole, it reveals Matisse as an artist who conducted a dialogue with his earlier works, someone who continually questioned himself and his methods in order to, as he put it, "push further and deeper into true painting."

[Luis Camacho · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great insight/detail into the great artist. Thoroughly explained with relevant information regarding the referenced works.