MATISSE (Henri). Drawings. Thèmes et variations. [Paris]: Martin Fabiani, 1943. -In-4, 330 x 250: (6 ff. first 3 blank), 39 pp. (4 ff. last 2 blank), 158 plates, printed cover. In sheets, filled cover, publisher's cardboard folder. First edition of this album with a preface by Louis Aragon, entitled Matisse en France. The illustrations, by Henri MATISSE, include an unsigned linocut frontispiece, 3 lithographs in the text and 158 reproductions of out-of-text drawings. 950 copies were printed. This is one of 20 on Arches vellum, the only ones, along with the first 10 on japon, to be signed by the artist at the justification. Shirt very damaged, boards loose, spine missing. Some soiling to cover, tear to hinge.