Poster for the Exhibition Recognizing 25 Years of Prints from the Mourlot Studio (Affiches d’Expositions Realisees 25 ans par l’Iprimerie Mourlot. . . à la Galerie Kleber)

Henri Matisse’s dynamic arrangement of brightly colored geometric shapes against a bright blue background suggests confetti tossed into the sky. What an eye-catching advertisement for an exhibition celebrating the centennial of the Mourlot Studio, famous for both its commercial and fine art lithographic prints and posters!

Matisse is regarded as one of the most innovative and influential artists of the 20th century. A master of expressive line, color and sculptural form, his early work shocked public sensibilities, while his later works brought new life to classical notions of beauty and grace. In 1941, Matisse developed a new working technique, which he called “painting with scissors.” The simplicity and playfulness of these cut paper collages embody the artist’s vibrant spirit and joy
in living.