OGLETHORPE UNIVERSITY, ATLANTA, TO PRESENT MATISSE POETRY ILLUSTRATIONS

SIMPLE LINE DRAWINGS AREN'T WHAT MOST ART LOVERS THINK OF WHEN PEOPLE MENTION HENRI MATISSE, WHO'S BETTER KNOWN FOR HIS VIVID, COLOURFUL PAINTINGS. THE ARTIST PRODUCED DOZENS OF DRAWINGS AND ETCHINGS AS ILLUSTRATIONS FOR THE WORK OF FRENCH POETS STEPHANE MALLARME AND PIERRE RONSARD. MATISSE'S DRAWINGS APPEARED ALONGSIDE THE POEMS IN HIS 'FLORILEGE DES AMOURS DE RONSARD' AND 'POESIES' COLLECTIONS, PUBLISHED IN THE 1930s AND '40s. 63 OF THE ILLUSTRATIONS WILL BE ON DISPLAY AT THE MUSEUM OF ART AT OGLETHORPE UNIVERSITY IN ATLANTA FROM 17.JANUARY THROUGH 9.MAY.2010. 'THERE IS A SENSUAL, LYRICAL LINE HE CREATES', SAID MUSEUM DIRECTOR LLOYD NICK. 'I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF AFTER SEEING THE EXHIBIT, PEOPLE FEEL LIKE DANCING.' THE PIECES INCLUDE COUPLES WRAPPED IN EACH OTHER'S ARM, WOMEN LOUNGING ON BEDS AND LUSH FLOWERS. THEY ALSO INCLUDE FAMILIAR IMAGES, SUCH AS A SKETCH OF THE FROLICKING FIGURES FROM HIS VIBRANT PAINTING, 'THE DANCE'. THE WORKS IN THE EXHIBIT ARE PART OF THE ESTATE OF FRENCH PUBLISHER ALBERT SKIRA, WHO WORKED CLOSELY WITH MATISSE ON BOTH WORKS. IT WILL APPEAR AGAIN IN 2011 WHEN IT GOES TO OS ANGELES, SAID CURATOR REILLY RHODES.