In 1942 the publisher, Elf Tériade, commissioned Matisse to make a book of colour images. Matisse selected 'Jazz' as the title to reflect the vibrancy and rhythm of the images and although conceived as a book on the circus he began to incorporate other subjects and motifs. This image shows the circus act, where the audience views a performer, who is often nude, swimming in a tank of water live on stage. Following surgery for cancer in 1941, Matisse began to work with cut-outs; the sensual forms of the cut paper became an iconic part of his practice.