Matisse: The Books

'Not only does it contain rarely seen images, but also a sensitive analysis of his relationships (as inscribed in these books) and his political affiliations during World War II' - Art Society Magazine 'Fresh, in-depth, lavishly illustrated ' - Financial Times 'These books-as-works-of-art are both a running commentary upon Matisse himself, the ever evolving, ever surprising image-maker, and an extraordinarily vivid series of critical responses to words that are often so rich and elusive in their meanings' - hyperallergic.com 'This extensive study, with its many reproductions and engaging commentary, offers a worthwhile late-period portrait of an artist, who, as Aragon wrote in his many encomia, used books to tell the story of his life, and renew(ed) the very concept of illustration' - Apollo 'Utterly spellbinding' - The Lady 'Louise Rogers Lalaurie carefully and sensitively explores this relationship with an eclectic selection of poetry, drama together with Matisses own words An inspiring portrait of the artist's regeneration and creative powers' - Cellophaneland 'Lalaurie pays close attention to the texts, throwing new light onto Matisses choice of books Her linguistic skills are particularly valuable to an English audience, who might easily miss the nuances of the original French one can only be grateful to the present publishers for doing admirable justice to both the artists intentions and those of his original publishers' - Burlington Magazine 'The blind embossed cloth cover feels wonderful to the touch and the generous illustrations are printed complete with the torn and deckled paper edges all print lovers adore Essential reading for Matisse fans' - Printmaking Today 'Matisse put an enormous amount of effort into his publishing projects these were not minor works, but masterpieces. And because they were always intended for the pages of a book, they retain much of the force of originals in this handsome volume' - The Spectator

Louise Rogers Lalaurie is a writer and award-winning translator based between the Paris region and the UK. Her published translations include ten novels, numerous short stories and over thirty non-fiction titles covering the fine and decorative arts, design and travel.

Preface Introduction 1. Posies de Stphane Mallarm 1930-1932 2. Dessins, Themes et Variations 194143 3. Florilege des Amours de Ronsard 194148 4. Poemes de Charles d'Orleans 19421950 5. Pasipha, Chant de Mindos 19371944 6. Les Fleurs du Mal 19391947 7. Lettres Portugaises 19451946 8. Jazz 19411947 Conclusion