Matisse in the Studio

by Henri Matisse (Artist), Suzanne Preston Blier (Contributor), Ann Dumas (Contributor)

The personal objects in Matisse’s studio form a secret history in his art This book is the first in English to explore the essential role that Henri Matisse’s personal collection of objects played in his studio practice. The artist traveled with his collection even to temporary residences, and letters to family members often included requests for objects to be moved to where he was working, revealing them to be critical creative stimulants. Featured frequently in the modern master’s bold paintings, drawings and cutouts, and influencing the development of his work in sculpture, Matisse’s objects formed a secret history hiding in plain sight.

Works that span Matisse’s entire career are presented here alongside the objects that inspired them, from Asian vases and African masks to intricate textiles from the Islamic world. An introduction and five chapters take readers through studies of the object as actor and the studio as theater, the importance of African art in Matisse’s renderings of the human form and his sitters’ inner selves, and the invention and transformation of his own language of signs. With lush illustrations and archival images, Matisse in the Studio provides exceptional insights into the artist at work.

Genres: Art

215 pages, Hardcover

Published April 25, 2017

About the author

Henri Matisse was a French artist, known for his use of colour and his fluid, brilliant and original draughtsmanship. As a draughtsman, printmaker, and sculptor, but principally as a painter, Matisse is one of the best-known artists of the 20th century. Although he was initially labeled as a Fauve (wild beast), by the 1920s, he was increasingly hailed as an upholder of the classical tradition in French painting. His mastery of the expressive language of colour and drawing, displayed in a body of work spanning over a half-century, won him recognition as a leading figure in modern art.

Reviews

[Justine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great art book! Lots of color reproductions and interesting comments. I enjoyed it.

[cia sunshine ☭ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found the book itself to be boring, and my dislike of the book comes from bias as well. I disliked Matisse’s artwork. I don’t know. I couldn’t find him interesting because I didn’t find his art to be that interesting. I only liked 2 or 3 of his paintings.

[Dusica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful MFA edition for all Matisse lovers and enthusiasts🦋

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredible. I loved learning about the objects that were fundamental in Matisse’s works. I loved Matisse’s concept of using ordinary objects over and over and being able to find something new in them each time. His objects were collected from all over the world - but they shared the common purpose of inspiration to create. His approach of re-creating the feelings of the spaces he experienced and not necessarily duplicating the spaces he saw was ingenious.