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After I got back from New York, I finally made it to the Berkeley Public Library to get my hands on some books on Henri Matisse. This latest kick all started when I read an essay by Hilary Spurling in the New York Review of Books. I did look for online resources, both free and commercially licensed, but have come to the conclusion that electronic coverage is superficial, certainly compared to the wealth of printed materials. Of course, there is nothing like seeing the works themselves -- but I don't quite have the time or money to start a world-wide trek for Matisse's art. At least not yet.
A word on the Matisse and Picasso theme here. I saw a number of books and a reference on the Wikipedia to the complex rivalry between the two major artist. Even though I was looking particularly for more insight into Matisse, I couldn't help seeing a lot of Picasso in New York. So I figure it might be helpful to try to understand both artists in order to better understand Matisse. Narratives involving conflict or back-and-forth between mighty figures are usually a lot of fun too!
