Matisse et Picasso

2nd revised edition

Both rivals and comrades-in-arms, Henri Matisse (1869–1954) and Pablo Picasso (1881–1973) engaged in one of the richest artistic dialogues of the century. For nearly fifty years, these two leading figures of modernity never ceased to observe and measure themselves against one another. This bond, forged from mutual admiration and competition, served as a constant driving force for renewal for both artists.

This new edition of the book, originally published in 1999 to mark the exhibition at the Kimbell Art Museum, traces the origins of the dialogue between Matisse and Picasso and the context of their reunion: the moment, around 1930, when a mischievous Picasso coaxed Matisse out of his retreat and urged him to return to the fray of modernity. It traces the intertwined evolutions of these two giants of modern art as if they were a game of chess between two masters.