Henri Matisse,the Sadness of the King, 1958, Lithograph

Details

Description

Henri Matisse (1869-1954)

La Tristesse du Roi
(The Sadness of the King)

Original Lithograph
year of ideation: 1952
year … Read more Henri Matisse (1869-1954)

La Tristesse du Roi
(The Sadness of the King)

Original Lithograph
year of ideation: 1952
year of the edition: 1958
Printer: Mourlot Frères for Tériade
Initialled: HM (Henri Matisse)
Size: 357 x 532 mm

In the back:
Two other original lithographs, Apples, initialled HM (Henri Matisse)

Condition:
very good / excellent (fold in the centre as issued; small central holes due to the original binding; barely visible bumps in the centre - enhanced in the photographs by the scanner but actually negligible)
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This striking color lithograph is part of Henri Matisse’s legendary Dernières Œuvres (Last Works) portfolio, published in Paris in 1958 by Tériade in the renowned art quarterly Verve (Volumes 35/36), with printing executed by the master lithographers Mourlot Frères.

Representing the pinnacle of Matisse's late career, this piece showcases his revolutionary paper cut-out technique (gouaches découpées)—a medium he invented when failing health confined him to a wheelchair and bed, playfully describing the process as "drawing with scissors".

The composition bursts with an exuberant, joyful energy, featuring organic shapes, stylized flora, and abstract silhouettes arranged in a harmonious yet dynamic rhythm. Printed in a single limited edition under the artist's direct supervision just before his death, these lithographs stand as a vibrant testament to Matisse’s lifelong mastery of color, form, and unbridled creative freedom. This piece has an attribution mark,
I am sure that it is completely authentic and take full responsibility for any authenticity
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