Matisse and the Book Arts: Origins of an Exhibition

Frances and Michael Baylson, John Bidwell and Jay Fisher

Through the generosity of Frances and Michael Baylson, the Morgan has acquired a nearly complete run of the books designed and illustrated by Matisse. This colloquium explores facets of his bookmaking career taking some of his most famous publications as examples. Frances and Michael Baylson describe how they formed their Matisse collection; John Bidwell, Astor Curator of Printed Books and Bindings at the Morgan, shows how the artist developed a taste for typography and calligraphic lettering; and Jay Fisher examines the illustrations in Mallarmé’s Poésies on the basis of proofs and preliminary studies at the Baltimore Museum of Art, where he is Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs. This program is made possible by the Franklin Jasper Walls Lecture Fund.

The exhibition Graphic Passion Matisse and the Book Arts at the Morgan will open at 5:30 pm for program attendees.