Henri Matisse: The Cut-Outs

Henri Matisse (1869-1954) is one of the leading figures of modern art. His unparalleled cut-outs are among the most significant of any artist-s late works. When ill health first prevented Matisse from painting, he began to cut into painted paper with scissors as his primary technique to make maquettes for a number of commissions, from books and stained glass window designs to tapestries and ceramics.Taking the form of a -studio diary-, the catalogue re-examines the cut-outs in terms of the methods and materials that Matisse used, and looks at the tensions in the works between finish and process; fine art and decoration; contemplation and utility; and drawing and colour.