09/12/2016
Matisse, grandson of painter Henri Matisse and son of sculptor Jean Matisse, believes that “creating is a part of my spiritual DNA.” This debut memoir details his search for identity, which, in turn, produced a deeper yearning for spiritual connection. Shuttling between Paris and the French countryside for much of his childhood, he developed a love of photography and boats, and during World War II he carried messages and forged documents for the French Resistance. At age 12, Matisse was informed by his mother, Louise, that his name was legally Pierre Leroy. He sensed a shameful secret but didn’t learn the details until years later: while married to Camille Leroy, Louise had an affair with Jean Matisse—Pierre’s birth father. She and Camille divorced just after Pierre’s birth, but Camille bitterly insisted on keeping the boy linked to him. Recreated dialogue and present-tense narration enliven the high-action scenes of the war years, but the memoir’s final sections sprint through seven more decades, including emigration to North America, various careers, and four marriages. Matisse, now a retired painter and paper collagist based in Florida, came late to the Christian faith. His hunt for his parentage, culminating in the decision to reclaim the Matisse name in his 60s, nicely parallels his search for identity in Christ. (Nov.)
An artful journey of discovery in the search for true identity and truth.
Born into a famous family of artists, Pierre Matisse grew up immersed in the artistic life of Paris and the French Riviera, spending time with some of the most famous artists of the twentieth century, including Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí. The man he knew as his grandfather, legendary artist Henri Matisse, gave him his first painting lesson and a strong desire to become a great artist in his own right.
Being a Matisse was an important part of young Pierre's identity. So he was crushed and bewildered when at the outbreak of World War II his mother suddenly announced to her twelve-year-old son, “You are no longer a Matisse.” With no explanation, she changed her son's name and sent him away.
So began Pierre's lifelong search to solve the mystery of his true identity. What had happened? Why had his family seemingly rejected him? Who was his real father? Those questions are the intriguing backdrop to this memoir of Pierre's fascinating and adventurous life on three continents.
Spanning the insider art world of 1930s Paris, the battles of World War II, the occupation of France by the Nazis, Pierre's involvement with the French resistance, his postwar work restoring art and historical monuments, and his eventual decision to create a new life in North America, The Missing Matisse is a story of intrigue, faith, and drama as one man journeys to discover the truth about who he is-before it's too late.
An artful journey of discovery in the search for true identity and truth.
Born into a famous family of artists, Pierre Matisse grew up immersed in the artistic life of Paris and the French Riviera, spending time with some of the most famous artists of the twentieth century, including Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí. The man he knew as his grandfather, legendary artist Henri Matisse, gave him his first painting lesson and a strong desire to become a great artist in his own right.
Being a Matisse was an important part of young Pierre's identity. So he was crushed and bewildered when at the outbreak of World War II his mother suddenly announced to her twelve-year-old son, “You are no longer a Matisse.” With no explanation, she changed her son's name and sent him away.
So began Pierre's lifelong search to solve the mystery of his true identity. What had happened? Why had his family seemingly rejected him? Who was his real father? Those questions are the intriguing backdrop to this memoir of Pierre's fascinating and adventurous life on three continents.
Spanning the insider art world of 1930s Paris, the battles of World War II, the occupation of France by the Nazis, Pierre's involvement with the French resistance, his postwar work restoring art and historical monuments, and his eventual decision to create a new life in North America, The Missing Matisse is a story of intrigue, faith, and drama as one man journeys to discover the truth about who he is-before it's too late.
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The Missing Matisse: A Memoir
![The Missing Matisse: A Memoir](http://img.images-bn.com/static/redesign/srcs/images/grey-box.png?v11.10.4)
The Missing Matisse: A Memoir
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Product Details
BN ID: | 2940169693119 |
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Publisher: | Blackstone Audio, Inc. |
Publication date: | 11/01/2016 |
Edition description: | Unabridged |
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