The Bottom Line
If you like the paintings by Matisse, you'll enjoy this book for its collection of his works on a single theme, that of "windowed interiors". Both for the lovely reproduction of the paintings, and the interesting accompanying text. If you like paintings of interiors or view through windows, you'll enjoy this book for the opportunity to study a major artist's work on a theme that he really made his own.
Pros
- More than 50 paintings by Matisse across his lifetime, of interiors and views through windows.
- Interesting analysis of paintings, including context in Matisse's life during which it was painted.
- Includes some period photos of the actual rooms/views, and some furniture that appears in paintings.
- Beautiful reproductions, on thick paper so there's no shine-through the pages.
Cons
- Not for you if you don't like Matisse's interior and window paintings.
- Top-quality art monographs aren't cheap; think of it as an investment in your artistic development.
Description
- Written in an accessible, interesting style by art historian and university lecturer Shirley Neilsen Blum.
- Large format hardback. 192 pages. ISBN 9781580932950. Published by The Monacelli Press in the USA (Thames & Hudson in UK).
- Introductory essay puts the subject of "interior" into context amongst the works by other artists.
Guide Review - Henri Matisse Rooms with a View by Shirley Neilsen Blum
Henri Matisse Rooms with a View is a collection of more than 50 paintings of "windowed interiors", ranging from a window in a small, gloomy studio under the eaves done in 1903 to Matisse's ultimate materpiece, the chapel at Vence in 1951. I knew Matisse had painted the interiors of rooms and views through windows, but not that he'd done so many, across the length of his artistic career. I found it fascinating to see them together, to be able to compare them to one another easily.
Each painting is reproduced on a page by itself, accompanied by an analysis of the painting. When and where it was painted, what's in the painting, if there's a figure who the model was. Sprinkled alongside the paintings are photos of the actual rooms and the view, period photos, sketches by Matisse.
The accompanying text is written in an accessible style, conversational yet highly informative. It not only analyzes the paintings, adding to your appreciation and understanding thereof, but also gives some background context to what was going on in Matisse's life or artistic development.
After the initial essay which looks at the window as a subject in Western painting and Matisse's development of this subject, the book is divided into five sections, each with a short introductory essay. But it's a book you can dip into at random. You don't need to read it systematically from start to finish. Flip through the pages, stopping at the paintings that really grab you. I particularly enjoyed the photos that show you the view from the studio or room itself, reality compared to the painting. Seeing what Matisse took from the scene, what he adapted and left out.
Like all good art monographs, this one left me with a renewed appreciation for the artist's work, with added insight, lots of extra information. It kept me reading and looking, looking and reading. If you like Matisse's paintings, do take a look.
