This volume describes how French artist Henri Matisse (1869-1954) began cutting shapes out of paper and posting them on his walls, and how this simple pastime developed into a series of remarkable works of art, and presents fold-out reproductions of eight examples. Diagnosed with abdominal cancer in 1941, Matisse underwent surgery that left him chair and bed bound. Painting and sculpture had become physical challenges, so he turned to a new type of medium. With the help of his assistants, he began creating cut paper collages, or decoupage. He would cut sheets of paper, pre-painted with gouache by his assistants, into shapes of varying colors and sizes, and arrange them to form lively compositions. Initially, these pieces were modest in size, but eventually transformed into mural or room-size works. The result was a distinct and dimensional complexity -- art not quite painting, but not quite sculpture.
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