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SPECIAL EXHIBITION
Mexican Prints
On view through January 5, Mexican Prints at the Vanguard explores the rich tradition of printmaking in Mexico—from the 18th century to the mid-20th century—through works drawn mainly from the Museum’s collection.

About the Artwork

Lilacs, 1914. Henri Matisse. Oil on canvas. The Pierre and Maria-Gaetana Matisse Collection, 2002. © 2019 Succession H. Matisse / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.
In the years just before World War I, Matisse and many of his acquaintances challenged traditionally held views on painting. Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, and Juan Gris were working in a Cubist vein, but Matisse was too intrigued by the sensory nature of objects and arabesque line to join them. Instead, he spent this period engrossed in "experimentation, liberalization, color, problems of color-as-energy, of color-as-light." In Lilacs, Matisse seems particularly interested in the ability of light to dematerialize objects. Illuminated from the right, the stems of the flowers disappear under the artist’s gaze, leaving only the brightly colored blossoms and leaves. A pipe and small sculpture complete this still life, which was presumably painted in the spring of 1914. The plaster cast at right is known as Small Crouching Nude with Arms and was created several years before the painting.

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About Our Prints

Quality
Met Custom Prints offers exclusive custom reproductions of artworks in The Met collection. Thanks to gallery-quality materials, we create prints as true to the original work as possible, using strict color management protocols and state-of-the-art printing technology.
Selection
This is the only place you’ll find reproductions approved by The Metropolitan Museum of Art. We are continually adding new artworks to our offering, so be sure to check back regularly as you build your own gallery. A variety of molding styles means our custom framed prints can match any type of decor.

Member Discounts

Met Members will receive their 15% discount for all Met Custom Prints purchases. If you are Member, when you check out enter your member ID and the last name associated with your membership; once your Membership has been validated, your discount will be applied. Member discounts cannot be combined with other offers.