Montblanc pays homage to Henri Matisse with this limited edition 888 fountain pen, part of their celebrated Masters of Art collection. This collection honours the eternal contribution of great artists throughout history that have expressed the human experience through beauty and form. During the 20th century, Henri Matisse was a pivotal figure in the art world, revolutionising the handling of artistic media and helping set the tone for modern art. Matisse grew up in Bohain in northern France, and from a young age was fascinated by the fabrics seen in the then prosperous textile industry of the area. He proceeded to transform his studio into a treasure trove of textiles. Initially, he only used them in his compositions as background elements, but soon they became central to his artistic exploration. Textiles influenced his focus on harmonious colours and decorative patterns, which is exemplified by his iconic painting "La Blouse Roumaine" - the inspiration behind Montblanc's limited edition 888. The structure of the upper part of the barrel and the cap are inspired by the surface of the canvas, while the shiny red an blue coloured lacquer represents this artwork's main colours. The traditional blouse captured in the painting is illustrated by the decorative elements on the barrel and cone. In addition to his canvases and sculptures, his pencil drawings were a fundamental part of his art, exploring form, distilling emotion, and perfecting pure, expressive lines. One of these, 1952's "Large Face (Mask)", is embossed on the handcrafted solid Au 750 gold nib. The sculptural and generously rounded shape of the cap is a nod to the pronounced curves of many of his sculptures. The black onyx at the base of the cone is also seen surrounding the mother-of-pearl Montblanc iconic snowcap emblem at the crown of the cap, framed by a solid Au 750 gold ring. The black lacquered clip features an unusual organic shape that is inspired by the multi-coloured arrangement of leaf-like shapes in Matisse’s cut-out, "The Sheaf". This gorgeous Masters of Art Limited Edition 888 Homage to Henri Matisse fountain pen will be presented inside a Montblanc Vincent van Gogh presentation box, and will be accompanied by a 2-year international warranty/guarantee booklet filled out on the day of purchase.