"This volume reveals one of the world's finest private collections of early twentieth-century art. Long known to experts and scholars, the Werner and Gabrielle Merzbacher Collection contains many masterpieces linked by a vivid use of colour. Outstanding works by Cezanne, van Gogh, Picasso, Derain, Matisse, Braque, Nolde, Kirchner, Kandinsky, Klee, Leger, Beckmann and Calder, among many others, and displayed here in all their vibrancy." "The eminent colour theorist John Gage examines the works in the collection in the context of colour theory and colour practice in early twentieth-century art, while Stephanie Rachum discusses the genesis and development of the Merzbacher Collection. A series of scholarly catalogue entries by numerous authorities completes this beautiful publication."--BOOK JACKET.

"First published on the occasion of the exhibition 'Masters of Colour: Derain to Kandinsky, 80 Masterpieces from the Merzbacher Collection,' Royal Academy of Arts, London, 26 July-17 November 2002." -- T.p. verso.

Includes bibliographical references.

The Joy of Colour: The Merzbachers and Their Collection / Stephanie Rachum Colour Theory and Colour Practice in Early Twentieth-century Art / John Gage Impressionists Fauves Ecole de Paris and Russian Constructivism Kandinsky Nolde

Klee Jawlensky Die Brucke Ernst Campendonk Beckmann Kokoschka.