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Matisse as Book Illustrator and Designer

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Along with his vivid illustrations, for almost all his books, Matisse oversaw the selection of paper, typeface, and layout.

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The artist Henri Matisse (1869–1954) was not the most prolific book illustrator of the twentieth century. That title goes to Picasso, who provided illustrations for no fewer than 156 books, while Matisse only contributed to some 50 titles. But what differentiates the two was the intense love Matisse felt for books, and the care and attention he lavished on them.

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