This enthralling and comprehensive new book on Henri Matisse provides a fresh perspective for all students and art lovers interested in early twentieth-century art. Taking fifty of Matisse's most iconic works of art, expert John Cauman presents an accessible narrative about the man and his work, deciphering the themes, methods, and intentions of this truly great artist.Each painting, drawing, and mural is described and analyzed in specific detail, within the context of the period, so that the reader can truly understand what the artist was hoping to achieve with each work. Chronologically spanning from the late nineteenth century to the mid-1950s, the paintings are prefaced by an informative introduction that presents the milieu and key characters that featured in Matisse's life.Among his most famous works, this book includes Luxe, calme et volupté, Le Bonheur de vivre (The Joy of Life), Self-Portrait in a Striped Shirt, Blue Nude (Memory of Biskra), Bathers by a River, Harmony in Red, Dance I, Entrance to the Casbah, Pianist and Checker Players, Still Life with a Magnolia, Memory of Oceania, and The Snail.