Cinquante Dessins par Henri Matisse

Paris: The Author Matisse, 1920. First edition. Original wrappers. Very Good. FIRST EDITION, WITH SIGNED MATISSE ETCHING. A BEAUTIFUL COPY. Cinquante Dessins is “a book of drawings published at Matisse’s expense with an introduction by Charles Vildrac. Vildrac explains Matisse’s return to the figure as an attempt to redress the modernist gap opened between art and life. Since the figure was neglected by contemporary art concerned with the probing and reconstitution of the painting elements themselves, Matisse is returning to the ‘moral character’ of painting, its human content. Like the older masters, he again ‘attunes his style to the style of the model’ and, eschewing both the current archaizing and modishness, he searches out with humility the grave character of the model by intelligent deduction and by imagination. Written in close collaboration with the painter, this is an important statement on Matisse’s Nice manner of the early 1920s.” (Weiss, 97).

With 50 full-page plates of Matisse’s drawings of women, in addition to the frontispiece etching of Matisse’s daughter (“Mlle. M.M”) signed in ink by Matisse below the image. Produced to coincide with Matisse’s exhibition of the drawings at Bernheim-Jeune in 1920. One of 1000 copies issued, although in most extant copies the signed frontispiece has now been removed.

With preface by Charles Vildrac. Paris: (The Author), 1920. Quarto (approx. 8 1/2 x 12 in.), original wrappers; custom box. Splits to text block (as usual), and with the usual light uniform toning from the tissue guards. The original wrappers (in particular the spine) are notoriously fragile – this copy is a very rare survival, with the wrappers in nearly perfect condition. Note: Without the rare dust jacket issued in some copies in Pierre Matisse’s possession. (Inventory #: 2907)