This book is full of analysis of H.M.'s work. So ,many painters have dismissed Matisse as a light weight. In the "Bathers" ,the "Moroccans" especially he raises to a painter who has created a painting of great depth. There are xrays of all the major paintings in the exhibit.Plus,the book has extensive reproductions of most of the sketches and studies of pieces in the show. The authors have done a splendid job of telling us the methods and techniques of Matisse. How he used a scraper to re-work a painting for example. Many of the artworks have been re-done many times but, Henri has always in the final result has made work that is fresh. I remember a lecture in 1952 that Dan Catton Rich made about Matisse he said that his great work was in the sculptural reliefs he made of backs in a series.The paintings he thought superficial.I don't think he studied the "Bathers" in any depth.The reproduction although very good could have been larger ,they were limited by the graphic designers organization of type and photos.Missing for me is a good reproduction of the "Moroccan Cafe" . The book fails to recognize the importance of this painting.The book has breadth and is full of important information on the period covered in this book. You may want to get this book on Kindle or an Ipad. Unless you read it on some kind of support your hands will get tired. The book weighs three pounds.The book will become valuable; it brings fresh scholarship to a painter that has been over-shadowed by Picasso.For public and artist anyone who loves Matisse's work. This book is a must. If you miss the show you can gain as much out of the book as the exhibit.I waited and bought my book from Amazon ,my membership to AIC would have been only 20 % of the price. 37% plus one day free shipping is a good deal.Get more detail about Matisse: Radical Invention, 1913-1917 (Art Institute of Chicago).
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