Jazz is regarded as one of Matisse’s greatest achievements, its original illustrations still exhibited as significant works in their own right. By 1947, Matisse – in his seventies and suffering poor health – much preferred the simple, fluid act of cutting forms from painted paper to drawing or painting. It was his intention to use this assemblage technique to illustrate a collection of poems, which would be printed as a limited edition book. Matisse’s notes, written with a paintbrush in looping letters, became integral, and the publisher agreed that they should replace the poems. They appear here in their original ‘rough’ form, creating a visual counterpoint to the images.

This edition is accompanied by a special book mounted on the reverse of the presentation box’s cover, featuring both a translation of Matisse’s text and two new essays: one examining Jazz’s principal place among other artists’ books; the other surveying the history of artist’ books as a field. Any admirer of modern art (or indeed bookmaking) will be proud to own a reproduction with such uncompromising production qualities throughout.