This exquisite lithograph after Henri Matisse (1869–1954), titled The Dancer, S.P.29., originates from the School Prints Ltd. series, published by School Prints Ltd., London, under the direction of Brenda Rawnsley, London; printed by Baynard Press, London, under the direction of Thomas Griffiths, London, 1949. The composition reflects Matisse’s lyrical line and radiant color harmonies, translating his celebrated vision of movement and balance into a format aligned with the educational mission of the School Prints initiative.
Executed as a lithograph in six colors on English cartridge paper, this work measures 19.49 x 29.92 inches (49.5 x 76 cm). Signed in the plate and unnumbered as issued from an edition CCC. Printed by Baynard Press, London, under the direction of Thomas Griffiths.
Artwork Details:
Artist: After Henri Matisse (1869–1954)
Title: The Dancer, S.P.29.
Medium: Lithograph in six colors on English cartridge paper
Dimensions: 19.49 x 29.92 inches (49.5 x 76 cm)
Inscription: Signed in the plate and unnumbered as issued from an edition CCC
Date: 1949
Publisher: School Prints Ltd., London, under the direction of Brenda Rawnsley
Printer: Baynard Press, London, under the direction of Thomas Griffiths
Condition: Well preserved, consistent with age and medium
Provenance: From the School Prints Ltd. series, published in London, 1949
About the Publication:
Founded in 1935 by Derek Rawnsley, School Prints Ltd. was one of the most visionary educational art initiatives in twentieth century Britain. Created alongside Picture Hire Ltd., the enterprise sought to democratize access to modern art by placing original lithographs directly into British schools. Rather than reproductions, these were authentic prints by leading contemporary artists, produced at modest scale and cost so that public education authorities could afford to participate. Following Derek Rawnsley’s death in 1943, the company was managed by Dorothy Bland before being revitalized in 1945 under the direction of Brenda Rawnsley. With guidance from the distinguished art historian Herbert Read, Rawnsley launched an ambitious commissioning program intended to introduce schoolchildren to the language of modern art. Artists were invited to produce original lithographs limited to six colors in order to maintain affordability while preserving artistic integrity. The first series, issued in 1946 and 1947, featured prominent British artists including L. S. Lowry, John Nash, Julian Trevelyan, Michael Rothenstein, Edwin La Dell, Hans Feibusch, John Skeaping, Feliks Topolski, David Gentleman, and John Tunnard. These works were printed from stone or zinc plates by Thomas Griffiths and the Baynard Press, combining high production standards with accessible pricing. At its height, the program reached approximately 4,000 subscribing schools across the United Kingdom. In 1947 Rawnsley expanded the project internationally, persuading major European modernists to participate. The European Series, launched in 1949, included original lithographs by Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, Henri Matisse, Fernand Leger, Raoul Dufy, and Henry Moore. This remarkable collaboration brought museum caliber artists directly into the classroom, underscoring the publication’s historical importance. Technically innovative as well as culturally ambitious, portions of the later series were produced using Plastocowell plates developed by W. S. Cowell Ltd. of Ipswich, an early plastic lithographic process whose surviving matrices are now preserved in the Tate collection. Although the more avant garde works proved less popular with schools and the enterprise eventually declined, School Prints Ltd. remains a landmark in postwar art education and publishing history. Today, works bearing the School Prints Ltd. imprint are widely regarded as significant examples of mid century British printmaking and as important documents of a pioneering effort to integrate contemporary art into public education. For collectors, they represent both artistic distinction and a compelling social history narrative, combining cultural mission, technical innovation, and the participation of some of the most important artists of the twentieth century.
About the Artist:
Henri Matisse (1869–1954) was a French painter, sculptor, draughtsman, and printmaker whose revolutionary vision redefined modern art through his daring use of color, line, and form. Celebrated as one of the greatest artists of the 20th century, Matisse led the Fauvist movement and devoted his life to the pursuit of balance, beauty, and emotional expression in visual art. His early works burst with vibrant hues and liberated brushwork, while his later cut out compositions achieved a poetic simplicity that transformed the relationship between color and space. Deeply influenced by the work of Paul Cezanne, Vincent van Gogh, and Georges Seurat, as well as by the rhythmic patterns of Islamic art, Byzantine mosaics, and Japanese prints, Matisse forged a new visual language that celebrated joy, movement, and serenity. He was part of an extraordinary generation of artists who shaped the evolution of modernism, maintaining lifelong dialogue and friendly rivalry with contemporaries such as Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, Marc Chagall, Andre Derain, Albert Marquet, and Raoul Dufy, peers who, like him, sought to expand the expressive potential of color and composition. Matisse’s influence extended across generations, inspiring modern and contemporary masters including Alexander Calder, Alberto Giacometti, Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, Wassily Kandinsky, Marcel Duchamp, and Man Ray, each of whom drew upon his fearless experimentation and refined visual harmony. His paintings, sculptures, and works on paper are held in the most prestigious museums in the world, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Centre Pompidou, the Tate, and the Hermitage Museum, where his art continues to symbolize the essence of creativity and human emotion. The highest price ever paid for a Henri Matisse artwork is approximately 80.8 million USD, achieved in 2018 at Christie’s New York for Odalisque couchee aux magnolias (1923).
Henri Matisse lithograph, School Prints Ltd. 1949, Baynard Press London, Brenda Rawnsley School Prints, The Dancer print, Fauvist modernism, European Series School Prints, mid century educational art.
