Hilary Spurling Books

Henri Matisse's journey from ridicule to acclaim is explored through his own perspective in this biography. Despite facing widespread criticism, he continued to innovate, leaving behind a legacy often misunderstood. The author, Hilary Spurling, utilizes newly available family correspondence and private archives to reveal Matisse's struggles with self-doubt and his response to the tumultuous events of the twentieth century. This second half of a comprehensive biography sheds light on the artist's inner life and the misconceptions surrounding his personal experiences and relationships.

The art, youth, early maturity and life of artist Henri Matisse are examined in this biography. Includes 24 pages of color reproductions

Acclaimed literary biographer Hilary Spurling turns her attention to Anthony Powell, an iconic figure of English letters. Equally notorious for his literary achievements and his lacerating wit, Powell famously authored the twelve-volume, twenty-five year magnum opus, A Dance to the Music of Time. This enduringly fascinating portrait of mid-20th-century Britain has never been out of print, inspiring TV and radio adaptations and elevating the author to The Times' list of fifty greatest British writers since 1945. Master novelist, well-connected socialite and keen-eyed social observer, Powell comes into focus as never before in this authoritative biography from one of our generation's greatest biographers.

Anthony Powell’sA Dance to the Music of Timeis a landmark of twentieth-century writing. Hilary Spurling has written an invaluable companion to the 12-volume masterpiece, creating a magnificent database of Powell’s imagination and England’s cultural landscape.

Henri Matisse was one of the most important and beloved artists of the twentieth century, rivalled only by his friend - and competitor - Pablo Picasso. This title reveals the origins of Matisse's astonishing talent and provides an insight into his life and work.

Das ist die unglaubliche Geschichte von Thérèse Humbert, einem Bauernmädchen aus Toulouse, das auszog, um sich Geld auf Schlösser und Ländereien zu leihen, die nur in ihrer Fantasie existierten. Sie war damit so erfolgreich, dass sie zur unumschränkten Herrscherin der Pariser Gesellschaft aufstieg und es zwanzig Jahre auch blieb. Die Aufdeckung ihres Jahrhundertschwindels führte 1904 zu einer kleinen Staatskrise. Kompromittierte Herrschaften schossen sich eine Kugel in den Kopf, Thérèse wanderte ins Gefängnis und wurde angestrengt vergessen. Die Biographin Hilary Spurling, deren Matisse-Biografie soeben erschienen ist, hat die Geschichte der großen Thérèse entdeckt, als sie den familiären Hintergrund von Madame Matisse erforschte. Sie fand eine Geschichte, zu groß und zu schön für eine Fußnote und gerade richtig für dieses kleine, wunderbare Buch.