Matisse from A to Z

Opening up this small book is like dipping into a box of brightly wrapped bon-bons, the treats being brief but piquant glimpses of the French post-impressionist's life and work. Sellier's highly imaginative, abecedary-style primer uses unexpected words (``appendicitis,'' ``fog,'' ``U.S.A.'') to propel lively mini-essays on color, subject matter, composition and the artist's career. (The key words alone, rendered in French with English translation, vividly illustrate the rewards of cross-cultural pollination.) Plentiful illustrations, crisply reproduced in color and black-and-white, share space with photographs of Matisse, his models and his family. The attractive layout reflects the artist's decorative style and versatility, and the text successfully complements the book's visual vibrancy with sprightly observations that excite the reader's interest. This introduction to Matisse offers both present pleasures and the promise of satisfaction to be gained from further adventures into this artist's world. All ages. (Nov.)