Henri Matisse was born in 1869 in the tiny town of Bohain-en-Vermandois, in the flatlands of northeastern France. Matisse’s earliest works, from the 1890s, were mostly naturalistic and inspired by Impressionism. His first major creative breakthrough came in the middle of the following decade, when he became a pioneer of Fauvism. The first major avant-garde movement of the 20th century, thriving in France between and around 1904 and 1910. This period is recognized as a transformative one, both for Matisse and for all Western art.
Matisse essentially rejected the old laws of perspective and three-dimensional illusion in favor of suppressed, purely pictorial spaces. Matisse’s art was often so bold and bright that it drew criticism from his contemporaries. The monumental painting Dance — a 1910 commission by Shchukin, depicting five naked figures with electric-red bodies was met with heckling, catcalling, and mockery when shown at the Salon d’Automne in Paris. The public and critics were largely horrified by the painting’s crude colors. It actually led to Matisse isolating himself. It would take 10 years for the world to catch up. His earlier work would be viewed not as radicalism anymore. People began to see it as pioneering rather than simply offensive.
Matisse fled Paris for the French Riviera at the end of the First World War, Matisse began painting exotic-looking women in richly decorated interiors. Today we associate him with vibrancy, harmony and sensuality. Arguably, no series of work exemplifies these three qualities better than his ‘Odalisques’ from the 1920s and 1930s. The term refers to a “woman of the room”, initially implying a chambermaid or attendant. Matisse used this period to paint eroticized portraits of imagined, reclining nudes, often in luxurious, “Orientalist” settings. Aside from their qualities as artworks in their own right, the Odalisques are also of interest in terms of comparisons between the careers of Matisse and Picasso.
While Pablo Picasso was famously Matisse’s most significant rival, their relationship was often described as a “gentle rivalry” or a decades-long “boxing match” of mutual respect. Other rivals were André Derain: As a fellow leader of the Fauves (the “Wild Beasts”), Derain was a friendly rival who competed with Matisse for influence within the movement in the early 1900s. Pierre Bonnard: Matisse shared an intense, long-term relationship with Bonnard. While not aggressive like his bond with Picasso, they were often compared as the two masters of color and light in southern France along with Marc Chagall: Though primarily a real rival to Picasso, Chagall’s use of dreamlike color was seen as a direct challenge to the color dominance Matisse established. Picasso famously remarked that after Matisse died, Chagall would be the only one left who truly understood color. Then there’s Fernand Léger… Both Matisse and Picasso interestingly held Léger in “utter contempt” during certain periods, viewing his popular machine-like, industrial style as an exact opposite to their more human-centric concepts.
A major turning point occurred in 1930 when American collector Albert C. Barnes commissioned The Dance II. It was completed in 1932 and received global accolades and is arguably the revival that ensured his lifelong relevance. It saved his career and started an incredible rebirth. Gone was the decorative and safe 1920’s. The radical experimentation was back. His earlier work would be viewed not as offensive radicalism anymore. People began to see it as pioneering. People were understanding paintings where the sky could be pink and the trees could be blue and the water yellow.
Matisse is highly regarded as a painter, of course, but he was also a dedicated draughtsman and printmaker, producing more than 800 prints in a range of techniques, from linocuts and woodcuts to lithography and etching. Many of Matisse’s prints, particularly his lithographs, feature the same lavish detail as his paintings, while his etchings demonstrate his ability to convey a subject in just a few lines. Though praised for his mastery of color, Matisse was just as expressive and versatile in black and white.
Matisse produced several thousand drawings over the course of his career. What typified these were lines that managed to be classically simple yet dreamily unfettered at the same time.
The drawings also offer, for many, the best way into the Matisse market, with works at a wide range of price points. Some drawings fetch prices of a few thousand dollars, others more than a million. It is impossible to appreciate Matisse fully as an artist without paying close attention to his drawings.
Henri Matisse lost the ability to use his hands for traditional painting and sculpture due to severe abdominal cancer. The illness and risky surgery caused severe damage, including partial paralysis, which rendered his hands too weak to paint and since drawing was always at the heart of his work this lead to the last, stunning advance of Matisse’s career: his ‘cut-outs’. These consisted of painted sheets of paper, which he cut (with scissors) into forms of varying shapes and sizes, and then arranged into lively compositions. He would cut shapes from brightly colored, painted paper with scissors, which were then arranged on walls by assistants. The transition of Matisse’s cutouts into the widely known books and art portfolios of the 1950s was driven primarily by his collaboration with the visionary publisher Efstratios Tériade.
In the process, he invented a new artistic medium — though, in a sense, it was just the conclusion of Matisse’s long quest to find a perfect balance between the formal elements of line and color. He described the process of making cut-outs as both ‘drawing with scissors’ and ‘cutting directly into color’.
These works dominated Matisse’s art in the final 15 years of his life. When he passed in 1954.
These publications and portfolios of the 1950s are generally the most accessible way to own an “original” Matisse print:
- The Breakthrough Portfolio: Jazz (1947) The most significant turning point was the publication of the book Jazz. It was issued as a portfolio of 20 color plates accompanied by Matisse’s own handwritten text in looping calligraphy. The Original (1947): This is not affordable for most collectors. Because it was produced in a very small edition of 250. It can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Much more “affordable” versions exist. You can find 1983 MoMA/Braziller facsimile prints for roughly $500 to $800 each. They have had steady appreciation in price since there is always a market for Matisse; they sell quickly. Also, the high-quality paper used in the 1983 MoMA edition holds color better than cheaper modern posters. You likely won’t see a “10x” return. Prices for these editions generally move with inflation or slightly above. Although the 1983 edition of Jazz is not considered original in the context of fine art collecting; it is an authorized facsimile by the estate and the first massed-produced. In the art world, an “original” Jazz refers specifically to the first edition published in 1947 by Tériade (Éditions Verve), which was produced using the pochoir (stencil) technique and limited to only 250 copies(Limited). Despite not being an “original,” the 1983 Braziller edition is highly respected by collectors for its exceptional color fidelity, as it was printed using Copy No. 43—the actual portfolio Matisse personally gave to MoMA in 1948. Their lithographs are sometimes listed as First Edition Lithographs. They are beautiful.
There is also 1960/1964 Piper Edition. This version was not sold commercially in the same way as modern art books. It is a much smaller, hardcover book that contains rare lithograph prints that are far more accurate in color than cheap modern posters. Because it was a limited distribution to MOMA members, it is now a sought-after vintage collectible, often retailing for $1,000 to $1,500. It is considered a “bona fide collector’s item”.
- Verve Magazine and “The Last Works” (1950s) In 1958, four years after his death, Tériade published a double issue (Nos. 35/36) titled “Dernières Œuvres de Matisse 1950–1954” (The Last Works of Matisse). This volume featured 40 color cut-outs /lithographs produced by the renowned Mourlot Studio in Paris. Matisse had overseen the first proofs and designed the cover before he died. These portfolios included some of his most Iconic and now-famous works like the Blue Nudes, The Snail, and The Sheaf. This publication is generally the most accessible way to own an “original” Matisse print (meaning a print overseen by his estate shortly after his death). Individual Lithographs of this set: You can often find original lithographs of 1958 lithographs from this issue, such as Le Bateau or The Sheaf, for $250 to $700. A full, well-preserved copy of the complete 1958 book Verve 35-36 volume typically retails for $1,500 to $7,000 depending on condition, which is a common entry point for serious collectors. While individual prints taken from this book usually sell up to $1,000.
- Florilège des Amours – a famous 1948 artist’s book featuring love poems by the 16th-century French poet Pierre de Ronsard, beautifully illustrated with 128 lithographs by Henri Matisse. These drawings were published by Albert Skira, the book is celebrated for its sensual, sanguine-toned images of women, flowers, and nature, which reflect both Ronsard’s poetry and Matisse’s iconic style, created during World War II. Individual prints taken from this book also usually sell up to $1,000. Matisse and Skira worked together on this luxurious book.
Matisse was known to be very closely involved in the production of his books, offering guidance and criticism to printers and publishers…
The Peintures and Skira portfolios occupy a specific category in art history often called “afters” or period reproductions. While they are not “original lithographs” hand-pulled by Matisse himself, they are considered authentic vintage artifacts and are highly respected by collectors for their quality and historical significance. Some are hand signed. Why are they considered “Sort of” Originals?
The main very important reason they are “Sort of” Originals is that they were Authorized and Overseen by Matisse. Much like highly collectible Picasso original Linocut books of the early 1960’s.
These were actually ‘Approved & Supervised’: Both Les Éditions du Chêne (Peintures) and Albert Skira worked directly with Matisse (or his estate) to ensure color accuracy.
They are ‘Period Pieces’: Because they were printed during his lifetime or shortly after, the colors were often mixed using original formulas that modern digital printers cannot perfectly replicate.
Limited Scarcity: These were not mass-market “posters.” It was a limited small production. They were produced in relatively small, numbered, or high-end runs.
The “Peintures” Portfolio (1946)
This is often considered a “premium” vintage item.
Technique: The plates are high-quality offset lithographs that are individually tipped (hand-glued) onto heavy paper.
Value: Individual plates are often sold as original vintage prints. A nicely framed piece from this portfolio is often priced at $400–$1,250 because it represents a rare piece of post-war French publishing.
If you have a framed plate from the 1946 Peintures edition, it is a very respectable collector’s item and can indeed be worth $400 or more to the right buyer.
The “Skira” Portfolio (1948/1949)
Skira is known for a more accessible but still very high-quality “Masterpieces of French Painting” series. Henri Matisse worked directly with publisher Albert Skira on these as well.
Technique: Like the Peintures edition, these use tipped-in plates.
Original vs. Reproduction: On sites Auction sites, these are explicitly labeled as “After R.B. Skira”. This tells collectors that while the work is an authorized reproduction of a painting, the print itself is a collectible vintage object.
Value: Framed Skira plates are generally slightly more affordable than Peintures plates, often selling for $200–$350 plus buyers premium.
*Note that the high price of individual prints compared to the full book is driven by a market phenomenon called “break-up value.” Dealers can often make a higher profit by “breaking” an incomplete or slightly damaged book and selling each page separately. Math of the Market: If a copy of the 1958 Verve sells for $4,000 but contains 40 lithographs, a dealer can sell those prints for $300 to $1000 each.