The lithographs from this series have a fascinating genesis. In the years preceding his death in 1954 Matisse’s ill health prevented him from painting and confined him to bed for long stretches of time. It was during these years that he began to create his iconic paper cut-outs. Assistants would brush huge sheets of paper with gouache in Matisse’s specified colours, and he would then cut these into his desired shapes once the paint had dried. Each collage element would then be pinned together. It was only after his death that most of these cut-outs were glued together for posterity; during his lifetime the room-sized collages were pinned to the walls of his apartment in Nice and all the different pieces would have fluttered in the breeze as it came through his windows.
He was extremely proud of these revolutionary works and during 1953-54. Matisse worked with the legendary lithographer Fernand Mourlot and art publisher Tériade to interpret them as lithographs. Tériade was responsible for the quarterly arts magazine “Verve”, which had published original prints by many of the great 20th century masters, including Picasso, Miro and Chagall. Matisse had previously collaborated with him in 1947 to create the ‘Jazz’ portfolio. Mourlot had also worked with many of the same artists, with Picasso being a particularly frequent visitor to his print workshop in the years following the War.
Matisse oversaw the first proofs for publication in 1954, including the cover design. However, he died before the magazine could be published. Consequently, this special edition of Verve - published in 1958 - became a posthumous tribute to Matisse's final years and was titled “Dernières Oeuvres de Matisse 1950-54” (Last Works of Matisse). The publication featured forty original lithographs based on his final cut-outs. Later reproductions of these works have been made but our print comes from the first edition of 2000 copies created by Mourlot and Tériade, the only edition in which Matisse had any involvement.
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