Nasturtiums with the Painting "Dance"

Henri Matisse  (French, Le Cateau-Cambrésis 1869–1954 Nice)

Date:
1912
Medium:
Oil on canvas
Dimensions:
H. 75-1/2, W. 45-3/8 in. (191.8 x 115.3 cm)
Classification:
Paintings
Credit Line:
Bequest of Scofield Thayer, 1982
Accession Number:
1984.433.16
Rights and Reproduction:
© 2011 Succession H. Matisse / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
  • Description

    Matisse's representations of his studio often include glimpses of other artwork. Here he depicts the left half of his large canvas, Dance I (1909, Museum of Modern Art, New York). The carefully arranged furniture in the foreground flattens the pictorial space. The back leg of the tripod sculpture stand appears to rest in the grass of the painting behind it. Similarly, the chair in the left corner is placed so that the top rung of its back extends a horizontal purple stripe across the canvas. In a simpler version of this composition (Pushkin Museum, Moscow), this stripe denotes the area of wall visible between Dance I and the studio floor.

  • Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

    Signature: [lower right]: Henri Matisse

  • Provenance

    The artist (1912–13); [Galerie Alfred Flechtheim, Berlin, presumably by December 1913; sold to Moll]; Oskar and Greta Moll, Breslau (by 1920–23; sold in May 1923 to Thayer); Scofield Thayer, New York (1923–d. 1982; on view at the Worcester Art Museum, Worcester, Mass., as part of the Dial Collection, 1931–82; his bequest to MMA)

  • Exhibition History

    London. Grafton Galleries. "Second Post Impressionist Exhibition," October 5-December 31, 1912, no. 22 (as "Les Capucines"). New York. Armory of the Sixty ninth Regiment. "International Exhibition of Modern Art (The Armory Show)," February 15-March 15, 1913, no. 409 (as "Les Capucines"). Art Institute of Chicago. "International Exhibition of Modern Art (The Armory Show)," March 24-April 16, 1913, no. 246 (as "Nasturtiums"). Copley Hall, Copley Society of Boston. "International Exhibition of Modern Art (The Armory Show)," April 28-May 19, 1913, no. 127 (as "Nasturtiums"). Düsseldorf. Galerie Alfred Flechtheim. "Beiträge zur Kunst des XIX.Jahrhunderts und Unserer Zeit," December 21, 1913-January 1914, unnumbered cat. (as "La danse aux Capucines"). New York. Montross Gallery. "Original Paintings, Drawings, and Engravings being Exhibited with the Dial Folio 'Living Art'," January 26-February 14, 1924, unnumbered checklist (as "La Danse aux Capucines"). Worcester Art Museum. "Exhibition of the Dial Collection of Paintings, Engravings, and Drawings by Contemporary Artists," March 5-30, 1924, no. 21 (as "La Dance aux capucines"). Northampton, Mass.. Hillyer Art Gallery, Smith College. spring 1924, no catalogue. New York. The Museum of Modern Art. "Henri Matisse: Retrospective Exhibition," November 3-December 6, 1931, no. 22 (as "Nasturtiums and 'La Danse'). New York. Pierre Matisse Gallery. "Henri Matisse, "la danse": Sketch for the Moscow Decoration," October 27-November 21, 1936, no. 2 (as "La Danse aux Capucines," 1910, lent by the Worcester Museum, Worcester). Worcester, Mass.. Worcester Art Museum. "The Art of the Third Republic: French Painting 1870-1940," February 22-March 16, 1941, no. 23 (as "Nasturtiums and the Dance [La Danse aux Capucines]"). New York. Pierre Matisse Gallery. "About 30 Years Ago: An Exhibition Reviewing Some of the Works of the Leaders of French Modern Painting in Its Youth," April 13-May 1, 1943, no. 7 (as "Nasturtiums," 1913, lent by courtesy of the Worcester Art Museum). Philadelphia Museum of Art. "Henri Matisse: Retrospective Exhibition of Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture," April 3-May 9, 1948, no. 22 (as "Nasturtiums and 'La Danse' [La Danse aux Capucines]," lent anonymously through the Worcester Art Museum). New York. Durand Ruel Galleries. "'What They Said'-Postscript to Art Criticism: For the Benefit of the Museum of Modern Art on its 20th Anniversary," November 28-December 17, 1949, no. 14 (as "La Danse aux capucines," lent anonymously through the Worcester Art Museum). Providence. Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design. "Five Modern Old Masters," October 25-November 26, 1950, no. 9 (as "Nasturtiums and 'The Dance,'" lent anonymously through the Worcester Art Museum). New York. The Museum of Modern Art. "Henri Matisse," November 13, 1951-January 13, 1952, no. 32 (as"Nasturtiums and the 'Dance,' II," lent anonymously through the Worcester Art Museum). Cleveland Museum of Art. "Henri Matisse," February 5-March 16, 1952, no. 32. Art Institute of Chicago. "Henri Matisse," April 1-May 4, 1952, no. 32. San Francisco Museum of Art. "Henri Matisse," May 22-July 6, 1952, no. 32. Portland, Oregon. Portland Art Museum. "Henri Matisse," September 12-October 12, 1952, no catalogue. Columbus Gallery of Fine Arts. "Modern French Masters," November 28-December 31, 1952, no. 21 (as "Nasturtiums and 'The Dance'," lent anonymously through the Worcester Art Museum). Akron Art Institute. "Modern French Masters," January 13-February 16, 1953, no. 21. Worcester Art Museum. "Modern French Masters," March 5-April 12, 1953, no. 21. o Worcester Art Museum. "The Dial and the Dial Collection," April 30-September 8, 1959, no. 61 (as "Nasturtiums and 'The Dance,' II"). Worcester Art Museum. "Selections from the Dial Collection," November 13-30, 1965, unnum. checklist. Worcester Art Museum. "The Dial Revisited," June 29-August 22, 1971, no catalogue. Worcester Art Museum. "'The Dial': Arts and Letters in the 1920s," March 7-May 10, 1981, no. 87 (as "Nasturtiums and 'The Dance,' II"). New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Selection One," February 1-April 1985, no catalogue. New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Selection Three," October 22, 1985-January 26, 1986, no catalogue. Canberra. Australian National Gallery. "20th Century Masters from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York," March 1-April 27, 1986, unnumbered cat. (p. 23; as "Nasturtiums and the 'Dance'"). Brisbane. Queensland Art Gallery. "20th Century Masters from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York," May 7-July 1, 1986, unnumbered cat. New York. The Museum of Modern Art. "Henri Matisse: A Retrospective," September 24, 1992-January 19,1993, no. 149 (as "Nasturtiums with 'Dance' [I]"). Paris. Centre Georges Pompidou. "Henri Matisse 1904-1917," February 25-June 21, 1993, no. 103 (as "Capucines à 'La danse' I"). Brisbane. Queensland Art Gallery. "Matisse," March 29-May 16, 1995, no. 64 (as "Nasturtiums with 'Dance' [I]"). Canberra. National Gallery of Australia. "Matisse," May 27-July 9, 1995, no. 64. Melbourne. National Gallery of Victoria. "Matisse," July 19-September 3, 1995, no. 64. New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Painters in Paris: 1895 1950," March 8, 2000–January 14, 2001, unnumbered cat (p. 77; as "Nasturtiums with the Painting 'Dance II'"). Tokyo. National Museum of Western Art. "Henri Matisse: Processus/ Variation," September 10-December 12, 2004, no. 6 (as "Capucines à 'La Danse'"). Kunstsammlung Nordrhein Westfalen, Düsseldorf. "Henri Matisse: Figur, Farbe, Raum," October 29, 2005-February 19, 2006, no. 53 (as "Capucines à 'La danse' I").

  • References

    C. Lewis Hind. "Ideals of Post-Impressionism," Daily Chronicle (October 5, 1912), p. 6 [reprinted in J. B. Bullen, ed., Post-Impressionists in England, London, 1988, p. 367].

    Rupert Brooke, Cambridge Magazine (November 23, 1912), pp. 125–26 [reprinted in J. B. Bullen, ed., Post-Impressionists in England, London, 1988, p. 405].

    Henri Matisse. Letter to Walter Pach. December 6, 1912 [reproduced and published in English transl. in Ref. Cauman 1991, pp. 3, 5].

    Clara T. MacChesn[ey]. "A Talk with Matisse, Leader of Post-Impressionists." New York Times Magazine (March 9, 1913), p. 12, ill. [publication of an interview which took place in the summer of 1912; see Jack Flam, Matisse on Art, New York, 1973, pp. 49–53].

    R[oyal]. C[ortissoz]., "The Post-Impressionist and Cubist Vagaries," New York Tribune (February 23, 1913), section II, p. 6.

    W. D. MacColl. "The International Exhibition of Modern Art: An Impression." Forum 1 (July 1913), p. 34.

    Heinz Braune. "Zu einem Gemälde von Henri Matisse." Genius 2 (1920), pp. 197–98, ill. opp. p. 196 (color).

    Roland Schacht. Henri Matisse. Dresden, 1922, ill. p. 67.

    Scofield Thayer. Living Art. New York, 1923, colorpl. 3.

    "'Living Art' Folio and Originals Seen." Art News 22 (February 2, 1924), p. 5.

    [Elizabeth Luther Cary]. "The World of Art: Modern Art of One Kind and Another." New York Times (January 27, 1924), p. SM10.

    Thomas Craven. "Henri Matisse." Dial 76 (May 1924), p. 404.

    Thomas Craven. "Living Art." Dial 76 (February 1924), pp. 181–82.

    Henry McBride. "Modern Art." Dial 76 (February 1924), p. 209.

    Carl Einstein. Die Kunst des 20.Jahrhunderts. Berlin, 1926, pp. 24, 559, ill. p. 182.

    A[lfred]. H. B[arr]., Jr. Henri Matisse: Retrospective Exhibition. Exh. cat., The Museum of Modern Art. New York, 1931, pp. 15–16, 18, 38, 47, no. 22, ill.

    Meyer Schapiro. "Matisse and Impressionism." Androcles 1 (February 1932), pp. 27–28.

    H. D., "Henri Matisse Art on Exhibition Here," New York Times (October 28, 1936), p. 23.

    Martha Davidson. "Matisse's Allegory of the Dance." Art News 35 (November 7, 1936), p. 14.

    Huldah M. Smith. "Balancing to Date the Books on the French. The Art of the Third Republic: 1870–1940." Art News 40 (February 15–28, 1941), p. 28.

    The Art of the Third Republic: French Painting 1870–1940. Exh. cat., Worcester Art Museum. Worcester, Mass., 1941, unpaginated, no. 23, ill.

    Thomas B. Hess. "Matisse: A Life of Color." Art News 47 (April 1948), ill. p. 19.

    Henri Matisse: Retrospective Exhibition of Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture. Exh. cat., Philadelphia Museum of Art. Philadelphia, 1948, p. 38, no. 22, ill.

    Alfred H. Barr, Jr. Matisse: His Art and His Public. New York, 1951, pp. 127, 144, 149–50, 156–57, 174, 194, 199, 201, 539 n. 5, 540 n. 5, 559, ill. p. 383.

    Adrian Hayward. "Worcester's Art Museum." Worcester Telegram (April 3, 1951).

    Frank Anderson Trapp. Harvard University. The Paintings of Henri Matisse: Origins and Early Development (1890–1917). 1951, pp. 174–75, fig. 127.

    Sam Hunter. Henri Matisse, 1869–1954. New York, 1956, unpaginated, fig. 9 (color).

    Louisa Dresser. Worcester Art Museum News Bulletin and Calendar 24 (April 1959), p. 26, ill. on cover.

    Louisa Dresser in The Dial and the Dial Collection. Exh. cat., Worcester Art Museum. Worcester, Mass., 1959, pp. 78–79, no. 61, ill.

    Loring Holmes-Dodd. "Dial Magazine Has Long History." Worcester Evening Gazette (May 13, 1959).

    Werner Haftmann. Painting in the Twentieth Century. 2, rev. ed. New York, 1960, p. 55, ill. p. 65.

    "Matisse's Work at Art Museum." Worcester Sunday Telegram (January 1, 1961), ill.

    Samuel Sachs, II. "Reconstructing the 'whirlwind of 26th Street'." Art News 61 (February 1963), ill. p. 26 (installation photo).

    1913 Armory Show: 50th Anniversary Exhibition, 1963. Exh. cat., Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute, Utica. New York, 1963, p. 197, ill. p. 92.

    Nicholas Joost. Scofield Thayer and The Dial: An Illustrated History. Carbondale, Ill., 1964, pp. 229, 237–38, ill.

    Alan Bowness. Matisse and the Nude. New York, 1968, p. 20, colorpl. 14.

    Richard A. Moore. The Dialectic Norm of Nineteenth and Twentieth Century Art. Atlanta, 1968, pp. 72–73, fig. 6.

    Massimo Carrà. L'Opera di Matisse dall rivolta 'fauve' all'intimismo, 1904–1928. Milan, 1971, p. 92, no. 148, ill.

    Nicholas Joost. "The Dial Collection: Tastes and Trends of the 'Twenties," Apollo 94 (December 1971), p. 494, fig. 9.

    John Hallmark Neff. Harvard University. Matisse and Decoration 1906–1914: Studies of the Ceramics and the Commissions for Paintings and Stained Glass. 1974, pp. 143–44, 180 n. 162, fig. 74.

    John Hallmark Neff. "Matisse and Decoration: The Shchukin Panels." Art in America 63 (July–August 1975), pp. 40, 44, 48 nn. 17, 23, figs. 8, 15.

    T. Borovaya in Henri Matisse: Paintings and Sculptures in Soviet Museums. Leningrad, 1978, p. 168, under no. 42, ill.

    Meyer Schapiro. Modern Art, 19th & 20th Centuries. New York, 1978, p. 169, fig. 5.

    Douglas Mannering. The Art of Matisse. [London], 1982, pp. 49–50.

    Michael P. Mezzatesta. Henri Matisse Sculptor/Painter: A Formal Analysis of Selected Works. Exh. cat., Kimbell Art Museum. Fort Worth, 1984, pp. 94–96, fig. 62.

    Pierre Schneider. Matisse. New York, 1984, pp. 268, 349.

    Lisa M. Messinger in "Notable Acquisitions 1984–1985." Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin 42 (1985), pp. 46–47, ill. and on front cover (color).

    John Russell. "New York's Next Modern Museum Is on the Way." New York Times (February 17, 1985), p. H33.

    Jack Flam. Matisse: The Man and His Art, 1869–1918. Ithaca, 1986, pp. 345–47, 500 nn. 41, 42, p. 501 n. 14, fig. 347 (color).

    Margrit Hahnloser-Ingold in Jack Cowart and Dominique Fourcade. Henri Matisse: The Early Years in Nice, 1916–1930. Exh. cat., National Gallery of Art. Washington, 1986, p. 273 n. 60.

    Michael Lloyd in 20th Century Masters from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Exh. cat., Australian National Gallery. Canberra, 1986, pp. 22–23, ill. (color).

    Michael Lloyd. "Modern Masters from the Metropolitan." Art and Australia 23 (Autumn 1986), pp. 345, 348, ill. on cover (color).

    John Russell. "Impressionist Show at Met from Soviet." New York Times (August 22, 1986), p. C20.

    Gary Tinterow et al. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Vol. 8, Modern Europe. New York, 1987, pp. 102–3, ill. (color).

    Milton W. Brown. The Story of the Armory Show. 2nd ed. [1st ed., 1963]. New York, 1988, p. 292.

    John Elderfield in Matisse in Morocco: The Paintings and Drawings, 1912–1913. Exh. cat., National Gallery of Art. Washington, 1990, pp. 218, 222, 237 n. 76, p. 259, fig. 104.

    John Cauman. "Henri Matisse's Letters to Walter Pach." Archives of American Art Journal 31, no. 3 (1991), pp. 3, 5–6, ill.

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    John Golding in Matisse, Picasso. Exh. cat., Tate Modern. London, 2002, pp. 173, 353 nn. 1, 8, 10, fig. 51.

    Andreas Strobl. Curt Glaser: Kunsthistoriker—Kunstkritiker—Sammler. Eine deutsch-jüdische Biographie. Cologne, 2006, p. 22.

    Sabine Rewald. Masterpieces of European Painting, 1800–1920, in The Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York, 2007, pp. 200, 274–75, no. 185, ill. (color and bw).

    Stephanie D'Alessandro in Stephanie D'Alessandro and John Elderfield. Matisse: Radical Invention 1913–1917. Exh. cat., The Art Institute of Chicago. Chicago, 2010, pp. 43, 141, 177 n. 6.

    John Elderfield in Stephanie D'Alessandro and John Elderfield. Matisse: Radical Invention 1913–1917. Exh. cat., The Art Institute of Chicago. Chicago, 2010, p. 116.

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