Met henri matisse biography book

With the second volume of John Richardson’s great Picasso biography already out, it was only a matter of time before Matisse (1869–1954) received equal treatment. Hilary Spurling—a London-based theater critic, literary editor, book reviewer, and biographer—has met the challenge admirably with her book, whose fluidity, depth of research, and level of detail are awe-inspiring.¹ While Spurling does not attempt to do the intense pictorial analysis or to make the art historical references that Richardson does—“This book is a biography, not a work of art history,” she writes in the preface—she provides an extraordinarily rich and fascinating context for understanding Matisse’s art and dispels some of the myths and assumptions about him. Her book reveals the “unknown” Matisse, the man not understood by a study of his paintings alone.

The most remarkable thing that comes across about Matisse’s early period is just how undistinguished it was, especially in terms of art.

The most remarkab

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The Unknown Matisse: A Life of Henri Matisse: The Early Years, 1869-1908 - Hardcover

Synopsis

Henri Matisse is one of the masters of twentieth-century art and a household word to millions of people who find joy and meaning in his light-filled, colorful images--yet, despite all the books devoted to his work, the man himself has remained a mystery. Now, in the hands of the superb biographer Hilary Spurling, the unknown Matisse becomes visible at last.

Matisse was born into a family of shopkeepers in 1869, in a gloomy textile town in the north of France. His environment was brightened only by the sumptuous fabrics produced bygd the local weavers--magnificent brocades and silks that offered Matisse his first framtidsperspektiv of light and color, and which later became a familiar motif in his paintings. He did not find his artistic vocation until after leaving school, when he struggled for years with his father, who wanted him to take over the family seed-store. Escaping to Paris, where he was sco

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Henri Matisse: Meet the Artist! takes young readers of all ages on a colorful interactive journey through the work of the beloved French painter and sculptor. Featuring flaps, cutouts, and pull tabs, this engaging pop-up book covers Matisse's entire artistic career, including his paintings, drawings, sculptures, and paper cutouts, as well as the story of his lifelong friendship with Pablo Picasso. With activities that encourage readers to explore the artist's signature methods, this hands-on introduction will inspire budding artists from eight to eighty.

Patricia Geis is a graphic designer, an illustrator, and the author of numerous books for children

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