Les Saisons
Les Saisons
“In creating these coloured paper cut-outs, it seems to me that I am happily anticipating what is to come.”
Reconnecting with Henri Matisse’s interest in art publishing, Maison Matisse has selected a series of iconic paper cut-outs: Les Saisons, originally created in 1951 for the cover of a Japanese magazine. These little-known works are characteristic of the artist’s innovative use of paper painted in gouache and then cut out: clean lines and contrasts of pure colours give these compositions, which border on abstraction, their joyful expressiveness.
Henri Matisse, Les Saisons, couvertures originales de la revue Bungeishunju, Musée Matisse de Nice.
Henri Matisse sensed the transformative power of his paper cut-out technique for artists of future generations: “In creating these coloured paper cut-outs, it seems to me that I am happily anticipating what is to come.” (…) But I know that it will be much later that people will realise how much of what I am doing today was in tune with the future.”
Today, Maison Matisse aims to provide lovers of his work with high-quality reproductions of rare pieces and also to highlight the modernity of his work.
It was in rediscovering the largely unknown compositions of Les Saisons that Maison Matisse decided to produce art prints in the media that the artist himself had envisaged: paper and silk.
For the aluminograph prints, Maison Matisse chose to work with one of Henri Matisse’s historical printers: Nicolas Draeger, heir to the printer for Jazz (1947), renowned for his expertise in art publishing. For the silk scarves inspired by the motifs of Les Saisons, Maison Matisse has chosen to collaborate with Pétrusse, a French brand highly esteemed for their exquisite craftsmanship.
Maison Matisse has established its own design studio to bring to life everyday objects that remain true to the spirit of Henri Matisse’s works.
The Studio also collaborates with prestigious brands, supporting them in the conception of exceptional products, celebrating the creativity of Henri Matisse in new, previously unexplored fields.
It offers consultancy services to companies wishing to develop products inspired by Matisse without betraying his work. The studio team supports and enriches the creation of such products by lending its expertise regarding the artist and his work.
