French painter Henri Matisse (1869 – 1954) expressed joy through patterns, ornamentation and vivid colors. Given a paint set while recovering from an illness, Matisse described his discovery of art as “a kind of paradise.” Originally labeled a Fauvist, he produced early works that were remarkably mature. After seeing Impressionist and Japanese art, Matisse made color instrumental to his work, and experimented with expressive abstraction. He also decorated the Dominican nuns’ chapel at Vence, France when he was almost 80. Matisse, who was often nervous, relieved his tension through painting.

This original lithograph was printed in 1984 for Seibu Department Stores in Japan. The lithograph measures 20.5 x 28.5 inches. The edition size is 2000 copies. This is part of a portfolio of four images. Other images are by Matisse, Braque and Leger.