Icarus
1947
Henri Matisse created this striking scene for his 1947 artist book 'Jazz' while bedridden and unable to paint traditionally. Using scissors to cut shapes from painted paper—a technique he famously called 'drawing with scissors'—he crafted a bold black silhouette of Icarus falling through a deep blue sky dotted with bright yellow stars. The handwritten French text on the left adds a personal, diary-like touch, making the tragic myth feel surprisingly joyful and simple.
- Technique
- Gouache cut-outs
- Material
- Paper
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