Henri Matisse (French, 1869-1954)

These lithographs, produced at the end of the artist's life, are full of colour and act as a summary of some of the most important themes of Matisse's art. They were produced with the virtuoso printers Mourlot Frères, one of the main lithographic studios of Paris, who printed them between 1954 and 1958 under Matisse's supervision. They are the only edition of lithographs by Matisse, in approximately 2,000 unsigned copies, to reproduce his celebrated pochoir designs and were incorporated into a volume of the French portfolio Verve, celebrating the last works of Matisse. The lithographic plates were erased after the edition was printed.

These last works were completed from a wheelchair and colour and design reached their apotheosis in them. The original pochoirs upon which these lithographs are based were compositions constructed from pieces of cut-out paper painted with gouache and glued down onto a backing sheet. They were re-workings of motifs from Matisse's large-format canvases and have become - like his paintings - icons of modern art.

Following on from his great mural designs, such as La Danse produced for the Barnes Foundation between 1931 and 1933, he began to experiment with his first gouache decoupee. After the war he settled in Nice and, following two serious operations for cancer, he began to discover ways of working from his bed. His collage decorations were the last flowering of Matisse's art, including the famous series of Blue Nudes and The Snail (1952-1953, Tate Modern, London).

All prints are in excellent condition with fresh colours printed on cream wove paper, within conservation mounts. From the only edition of lithographs by Matisse printed under his supervision by Mourlot to reproduce his celebrated pochoir designs and last works. The lithographic plates were erased after the edition was printed. They can be ordered framed in oak/white/silver metal leaf/bronze metal leaf custom made frames.