Matisse’s Poèmes de Charles d’Orléans – Volume with 54 Lithographs (100 Lithographed Sheets)

This lovely volume is Henri Matisse’s Poèmes de Charles d’Orléans. The work was published in Paris by Mourlot Freres for Teriade in 1950. The work featured 100 lithographed sheets including 54 color lithographs by Matisse. It features original lithographed wrappers, unsewn as issued, the original glassine wrapper and card slipcase. This is from a limited edition of 1230, of which this is number 1130. It is signed by Matisse on the limitation.

This is the last illustrated book of Matisse’s. “In no other of Matisse’s books does one feel the same sense of the artist’s pleasure in his work as he plays here his subtle games with children’s crayons.” (Barr, pp. 272–273)

Henri Matisse (1869-1954) was one of the most influential French artists of the 20th century. He originally studied law, but found art later in life. He developed the artistic style of Fauvism with Albert Marquet and Andre Derain. He once said, “What I dream of is an art of balance, of purity and serenity, devoid of troubling or depressing subject matter.”