Icarus is perhaps the most iconic image from Henri Matisse’s 1947 illustrated book, Jazz. Created during a period when Matisse was largely confined to a wheelchair, this work represents the pinnacle of his "cut-out" technique. Rather than using a brush, Matisse used large shears to "draw" directly into sheets of paper pre-painted with vibrant gouache. This method allowed him to unify line and colour into a single, forceful gesture, bypassing the traditional constraints of easel painting. The composition reinterprets the Greek myth of the boy who flew too close to the sun. Matisse depicts Icarus as a simplified, fluid white silhouette suspended against a deep blue sky and a vertical black void. The yellow bursts surrounding him represent both the stars of the night and the scorching sun that led to his fall. Most poignant is the small red burst on the figure's chest, a beating heart that symbolises the passion and vitality of the human spirit. In the context of World War II, many have also read the image as a falling paratrooper, turning a mythological tragedy into a contemporary reflection on fragile life and soaring ambition.

Studio Gallery Frame in 'black'; acrylic safety fronts; ready-to-hang options.

Gift-ready, arriving hand-wrapped in acid-free tissue paper. Plastic-free packaging.

Image source: OpenSource CC0.