Matisse (Basic Art)

Description

The work of Henri Matisse (1869–1954) reflects an ongoing belief in the power of brilliant colors and simple forms . Though famed in particular for his paintings, Matisse also worked with drawing, sculpture, lithography, stained glass, and collage, developing his unique cut-out medium when old age left him unable to stand and paint. Matisse’s subjects were often conventional: nudes, portraits, and figures in landscapes, Oriental scenes, and interior views, but in his handling of bold color and fluid draftsmanship , he secured his place as a 20th-century master. It was Matisse’s palette that particularly thrilled the modern imagination. With vivid blue, amethyst purple, egg-yolk yellow , and many shades beyond he liberated his work from a meticulous representation of reality and sought instead a “vital harmony,” often referring to music as an inspiration or analogy for his work. A comprehensive and informative source, this lavishly illustrated publication includes preparatory studies, full-page reproductions, and enlarged details. Discover the artist's adventurous path, from the chromatic brilliance of his Fauve period, right through to his invention of gouache cut-outs at the ripe age of 80. Each image has been reproduced with painstaking care to create a viewing experience worthy of the expressionist par excellence. The bard of color deserves no less. Review: Great buy - Great overview of the artist with wonderful graphics! Worth every penny. Review: Matisse Master of Color - I bought this to better understand Matisse's work and his use of color and I wasn't disappointed. I am currently what I would call a representative artist that wants to fully understand abstract impressionist painting and the thinking behind the varied artists. I bought this first and liked it for the essays and the art. I also am reading Diebenkorn, who was an admirer of Matisse and conflicted, it seems, between abstraction and representative art; although he excelled and known for the former, he still found the need to reprise his experience in figurative and landscape art over his lifetime. If you enjoy Matisee, Master of Color is a good book to better understand what he was thinking during some of these times. It isn't a large book so it only gives you a brief look at some of his work in color. Diebenkorn's work during his Berkeley years is far more expansive and enlightening on the subject of abstract impressionism and a compliment to Matisse as well.