Le jazz d henri matisse biography

1947 artist's book by Henri Matisse

Henri Matisse’s Jazz is a limited-edition art book containing prints of colorful cut-papercollages, accompanied by the artist's written thoughts. It was first issued on September 30, 1947, by art publisher Tériade.

The portfolio, characterized by vibrant colors, poetic texts, and circus and theater themes, marks Matisse's transition to a new medium.^[1]

Original creation

Diagnosed with abdominal cancer in 1941, Matisse underwent surgery that left him chair- and bedbound.

le jazz d henri matisse biography1

Limited in mobility, he could no longer paint or sculpt. Instead, he cut forms from colored paper that he arranged as collages, and decoupage which became known as the “cut-outs”.^[2]

That same year, at the age of 74, Matisse began Jazz. His assistants helped prepare the collages for printing, using a stencil process known as pochoir in French.

He worked on the series for two years, utilizing this new method that linked dra Matisse and the Art of Jazz | Buffalo AKG Art Museum XIRAQ