A solo exhibition of famous French painter Henry Matisse will be held at Centre Pompidou in Paris in May this year to commemorate the 150th anniversary of his birth.

It will be the largest Matisse solo exhibition since the 1970s' solo exhibition at Grand Palais.

Reviewing Matisse's long artistic career from 1890 to the 1950s, the exhibition explores how literature influenced the leading figure of modern art, including his anecdotes with French symbolist poet Stephane Mallarme and poet and novelist Louis Aragon.

He created 29 prints for Mallarme's poetry, which marks the start of his attention on literature.

He also created limited edition prints for James Joyce's novel "Ulysses." From copperplate etching, lithographs to linocut prints, monoprints, printmaking is one of Matisse's most outstanding artistic achievements, which is rare to an oil painter.

When illness prevented him from painting in his final years, Matisse spent two years in creating 20 cut paper collages and published them in book titled "Jazz."

Besides exhibits from Centre Pompidou, The Matisse Museums in Nice and in Le Cateau-Cambresis, and the Museum of Grenoble also contributed their collections to the exhibition.

(Cover image: A file photo of Centre Pompidou. /VCG Photo)