Henri Matisse's Artistic Legacy Found a New Home at Paris's Musée d'Art Moderne
In an extraordinary move, the wife of Matisse's grandson has donated 61 works by the renowned artist Henri Matisse to Paris's Musée d'Art Moderne. This generous gesture is expected to deepen the museum's collection, which already boasts 20 Matisse artworks.
At the center of this donation are the portraits of Marguerite, Matisse's favorite subject and daughter, who was born during his relationship with a model named Caroline Joblau. The artist brought Marguerite into his family when he married four years later. These paintings capture Marguerite at different stages of her life, including when she contracted diphtheria as a child and had to hide the scar on her neck.
Marguerite's story is one of remarkable resilience and determination. She joined the French Resistance during World War II, despite being tortured by the Gestapo and threatened with deportation to a Nazi concentration camp. Her experiences only strengthened her resolve to carry on her father's artistic legacy after his passing in 1954.
The Matisse family has traditionally kept their art within the family, making this donation particularly significant. The museum is now home to an impressive collection of Matisse works, which will be showcased for generations to come.
Fabrice Hergott, director of the Musée d'Art Moderne, hailed the portraits of Marguerite as "extremely beautiful and moving." He praised Barbara Dauphin Duthuit's generosity, describing it as a testament to her deep commitment to the museum and its mission to preserve Matisse's artistic legacy for future generations.
In an extraordinary move, the wife of Matisse's grandson has donated 61 works by the renowned artist Henri Matisse to Paris's Musée d'Art Moderne. This generous gesture is expected to deepen the museum's collection, which already boasts 20 Matisse artworks.
At the center of this donation are the portraits of Marguerite, Matisse's favorite subject and daughter, who was born during his relationship with a model named Caroline Joblau. The artist brought Marguerite into his family when he married four years later. These paintings capture Marguerite at different stages of her life, including when she contracted diphtheria as a child and had to hide the scar on her neck.
Marguerite's story is one of remarkable resilience and determination. She joined the French Resistance during World War II, despite being tortured by the Gestapo and threatened with deportation to a Nazi concentration camp. Her experiences only strengthened her resolve to carry on her father's artistic legacy after his passing in 1954.
The Matisse family has traditionally kept their art within the family, making this donation particularly significant. The museum is now home to an impressive collection of Matisse works, which will be showcased for generations to come.
Fabrice Hergott, director of the Musée d'Art Moderne, hailed the portraits of Marguerite as "extremely beautiful and moving." He praised Barbara Dauphin Duthuit's generosity, describing it as a testament to her deep commitment to the museum and its mission to preserve Matisse's artistic legacy for future generations.