Matisse at Villa Le Rêve 1943-1948

the long version

"From 1943 to 1948, Henri Matisse lived at Villa Le Reve, near Vence in the South of France, seeking respite from the war and his failing health." "Together with sketches, handwritten notes and a selection of his work from the time. Helene Adant's photographs afford us an intimate glimpse into Matisse's life at Villa Le Reve. For an instant we see what he saw: the strong Provencal light filtered by trees and plants; models coming to pose and take tea with him; work in progress arranged on the walls of the studio; and a unique array of objects that are familiar to us from his work - sea shells, a coffee pot, a pedestal table, Fez pottery, brightly patterned fabrics. And the photographs knowingly capture Matisse's particular fondness for chairs, which appear as characters in their own right."--BOOK JACKET.