MATISSE HENRI: (1869-1954) French Artist and renowned Painter. A leading figure in modern Art. An excellent A.L.S. ...

MATISSE HENRI: (1869-1954) French Artist and renowned Painter. A leading figure in modern Art. An excellent A.L.S., `H Matisse', with drawing, one page, 4to, n.p., n.d. [1949-50], [to his son?], in French. The letter bears at the heading a sketch in Matisse´s hand, depicting a child face with a crown on his head, and states in part `Happy father and mother of this beautiful child! Thank you for thinking in showing to us this masterpiece.. All goes well here, good health, the chapel goes well too..´ and further concluding `I give up wanting to understand people…´ Written and drawn in bold blue ink by Matisse, an attractive document with sketch. About EX £4000-6000 The present letter is probably written to his son Pierre Matisse (1900-1989) and refers to one of Matisse´s grandchildren. The chapel Matisse refers to is the Chapelle du Rosaire at Vence, a village between Nice and Antibes in the south of France. He worked on the chapel project using the cut-out method from 1948 to 1951. Matisse was diagnosed with abdominal cancer in 1941 and surgery left him chair and bed bound. Painting and sculpture became almost impossible physical challenges which made him turn to creating cut paper collages and decoupages with the help of assistants. His closest collaborator was Monique Bourgeois, a student nurse who helped Matisse after his surgery, also his model, who became a nun in 1946, and the reason of this chapel work by Matisse. Bourgeois joined Matisse in Vence and helped him to achieve his chapel painting project.