Matisse: Jazz

After surgery for cancer in 1941, Matisse was left bed- and chair-bound, and unable to continue painting. He turned to paper cut-outs of colored paper arranged in collages (papiers découpés) and began work on the series ‘Jazz’—a significant transition in Matisse’s artistic career. The series aimed to represent the movement and vibrancy of jazz music and the works, along with Matisse’s written thoughts, were published in a portfolio in 1947.