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One sheet "Nice. Travail et Joie" travel poster created by Henri Matisse in 1947.
Background & Context
Matisse created this vibrant lithograph exclusively for the city of Nice to promote tourism to the French Riviera after the hardships of World War II. The text at the bottom reads "Nice. Travail et Joie" (Nice. Work and Joy) and features his signature "H. Matisse" integrated right into the design.
The original posters were printed in Paris by the renowned master printer Fernand Mourlot. Original vintage prints and high-quality early lithographs from this run are highly collectible, often trading at major auction houses like Sotheby's and premium art platforms like Chairish. Permanent original impressions are also held in prestigious museum collections, such as the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).
Composition & Style
The poster perfectly encapsulates Matisse’s late-career Fauvist style, featuring bold colors, flattened perspectives, and a celebration of light:
• The Window: A classic Matisse motif, showing bright green palm fronds framed by a decorative red and blue border.
• The Still Life: A table scene featuring a blue plate filled with vibrant oranges, pomegranates, and a lemon.
• The Mediterranean Vibe: The combination of sun-drenched yellows, deep blacks, and ocean blues mirrors the atmosphere of the South of France. |
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