BAUDELAIRE, Charles (1821-1867) and Henri MATISSE (1869-1954, illustrator). Les Fleurs du Mal. [Paris]: La Bibliothèque française, [1947].

BAUDELAIRE, Charles (1821-1867) and Henri MATISSE (1869-1954, illustrator). Les Fleurs du Mal. [Paris]: La Bibliothèque française, [1947].

Limited edition, number 161 of 300 copies on Rives from a total edition of 320, signed by the artist on the justification page. The 33 lithographed faces that illustrate this edition – mostly female but including a portrait of the poet – marked a conscious departure by Matisse from the imagery typically associated with Baudelaire’s celebrated collection: ‘This isn’t what one generally expects from illustrations of this poet. One easily imagines a series of women with their legs open in more or less contorted positions’ (Matisse, quoted in Matisse’s Poets, p.143). Brown, Kathryn. Matisse’s Poets: Critical Performance in the Artist’s Book (2017); Duthuit 19.

Quarto (284 x 225mm). Etched frontispiece on Chine appliqué, 33 full-page lithographs, numerous woodcuts by Théo Schmied after Matisse, on Rives paper, signed by the artist in pencil on the justification page. Original printed card wrappers, chemise with printed spine label and green card slipcase (slipcase split along one edge). Provenance: from the library of Sir Colin St John Wilson and M.J. Long.

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