Pierre Matisse moved from France to New York in his 20s to establish a gallery, where he introduced such major European artists as Miró, Giacometti, Balthus, and Dubuffet to the United States. Renowned art critic John Russell has created a seamless narrative based on exclusive access to Pierre Matisse’s vast unpublished archives, which hold 30 years of near-daily letters between father and son as well as a vast correspondence with the artists he represented. The result is an insider’s look at the lives and creative efforts of some of the 20th century’s most important artists.

Amazon.com Review
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