Taking fifty of Matisse's most iconic works of art, John Cauman provides an accessible narrative about the man and his work, deciphering the themes, methods and intentions of this truly great artist. Chronologically spanning from the late nineteenth century to the mid 1950s, each painting, drawing and mural is described and analysed in beautiful detail, within the context of the period, so that the reader can really understand what the artist was hoping to achieve with each work. The paintings are prefaced by an informative introduction that presents the milieu and key characters that featured in Matisse's life. Among his most famous works, this book includes (1904), (1905–6), (1906), (1907), (1909-17), (1908), (1909), (1912-13), (1924), (1941), (1951–2) and (1953).