HENRI MATISSE The Sword Swallower Exhibition Poster, 1975, 1975

Henri Matisse’s *The Sword Swallower* reduces the human figure to a few bold shapes, creating an image filled with color, movement and theatrical tension. Set against a rich field of pink, blue, orange and black, the performer appears to swallow three towering swords in a daring act of balance and spectacle.

The image was originally created for Matisse’s celebrated 1947 artist’s book *Jazz*. Developed from cut and painted paper, the work reflects the radical simplicity of the artist’s late practice, in which color and shape became as expressive as traditional drawing.

This original 1975 exhibition poster was produced for *Hommage à Tériade: French Graphic Art* at the Royal Academy of Arts in London. The exhibition honored Tériade, the influential publisher who collaborated with Matisse on *Jazz*, and brought together graphic works by many of the twentieth century’s greatest artists. With its vivid palette, energetic composition and important exhibition history, the poster is both a striking decorative work and a tangible connection to one of Matisse’s most celebrated creative periods.