Pasiphae 1944, Italian Lithographic Reproduction by Maestri della Pintura Milano 1999

Henri matisse. Pasiphae (nu au bracelet), original 1944. Edition, maestri della pittura milano 1999. Succession matisse. In 1944, henri matisse illustrated henri de montherlant's contemporary retelling of pasiphae, chant de minos. Matisse was inspired by the tale of the minoan bull and channeled his energy into capturing it's universal themes of love, beauty and passion. Matisse used linoleum for this project. He liked this soft, malleable material because it captured the subtle movements of his hand. The original edition was published by martin fabiani in 1944 with 250 editions. It was again published in 1980. Authorised reproductions of this series are extremely rare, and this is a lithograph authorised by the heirs of matisse in 1999 and published in milan italy.