Between 1950 and 1954, at the end of his life, Matisse created some highly innovative, brightly coloured gouache paper cut-outs. In 1953 he decided to reinterpret these works as lithographs. Collaborating with renowned lithographers, Mourlot Frères of Paris, Matisse directed and supervised the first 'pulls' during 1954.

All these prints are original lithographs from1954 and not later reproductions.