[.ca] Matisse: Father and Son (ISBN 0810929910)

From Amazon.com:
Author John Russell knew Pierre Matisse (1900-1989) personally, and after his death was invited to work in the legendary art dealer's archives. Among the treasure-trove of material was 34 years' worth of correspondence between Matisse and his father, the legendary French painter Henri Matisse (1869-1954). Russell's stately narrative draws on those letters, as well as Pierre's correspondence with the artists he represented (most notably Joan Miró, Balthus, Alberto Giacometti, and Jean Dubuffet). It reveals a remarkable intimacy between father and son, despite the fact that Pierre made his career in New York, while the elder Matisse resided in France. The naturally reserved Matisses were probably more candid in letters than they would have been in person about family crises; in addition, the correspondence provides fascinating insights into Henri's creative struggles and his shrewd business sense. Pierre is respectfully portrayed as a dealer of the old school--making a lifetime commitment to the artists he admired, regarding their works "not so much as objects of commerce, but as children ready for adoption." Russell, a former art critic for the New York Times, writes in a rather formal style that emphasizes the Matisses' links (and his own) to a vanished time, the heroic age of modern art and of the men and women who made it their mission to introduce it to the world. --Wendy Smith

poorly written:
not worth your time, lackluster, there are much better books out there

Father and Son and Much More Besides:
I enjoyed this book immensely. It was a lot different from other books about artists that I have read, in that it was written from a very different perspective. You won't find a lot of analysis here about how particular paintings were done. It isn't that kind of "art" book. It also isn't really a straight biography. Instead, you learn a lot about what it is like to be an art dealer, at least a lot about what it was like to be Pierre Matisse! I found the nuts and bolts of the business and the personalities involved to be intriguing. The best part of the book is the letters. Mr. Russell had the good fortune to have access to the extensive correspondence that Pierre had not only with his father but with other artists as well. We are talking about big leaguers such as Joan Miro, Alberto Giaccometi, Marc Chagall, etc. You learn a lot about their work habits and their personality quirks. Of course, the majority of the letters are between Henri and Pierre Matisse. From previous reading I had always had the impression that Henri Matisse was only interested in his art and paid little or no attention to his family. This book changed my mind. He clearly loved his children and grandchildren and took a lifelong interest in what they did and if they were happy. Henri Matisse emerges from this book as not just a great artist but as a very intelligent and warm person. He also had a very good sense of humor! I highly recommend this book to anyone who would something a little different from the run-of-the-mill art book or biography. As a bonus, there are some very nice color reproductions of not just Matisse's work but of many of the other artists that Pierre Matisse represented throughout his long life.

Essential reading:
Matisse: Father and Son has proven to be a prized addition to my book collection by giving an extended valuable insight with no known parallel. I recommend this book and fully endorse the review given by the Metropolitan Museum of Art,New York, which states "This is essential reading for anyone interested in the art of our century." I also found the book to be of immeasurable value to the practicing artist.