MATISSE (MASTERS OF ART) (PB)

Thirty of Matisse's most beloved works are given close attention in this introduction that explores the varying tensions of the artist's oeuvre--his embrace of pure colour, patterns, and texture; the languorous pleasures of the Cote d'Azur; primitive displays of human ecstasy; tranquil scenes of domestic life and soaring monuments to religious life. An engaging biography takes readers through every phase of Matisse's career and reveals how his aversion to troubling or depressing subject matter was in direct opposition to the radical spirit of his work.