%C2%A9 Succession H. Matisse %2F Artists Rights Society %28ARS%29%2C New York

Still Life with Pascal’s "Pensées", 1924

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Oil on canvasexpand_more

Gift of Ruth and Bruce Daytonexpand_more  2010.37

If Matisse’s still-life paintings from his early years in Nice are less abstract than those produced prior to and during World War I, they are more evocative. In fact, still-life became the perfect vehicle enabling Matisse to explore the role of ornament in his paintings as well as the wider role of decorative design central to Matisse’s painting at this time. Still Life with Pascal’s Pensées relates to several pictures that represent a section or corner of a room in which vases or Chinese ginger jars contain bouquets of anemones. The vibrant yet flat colors of these flowers became a leitmotif which energizes the surrounding space. The finished painting is a particularly concise and felicitous composition in which one of the classics of French literature features prominently.

Details
Title
Still Life with Pascal’s "Pensées"
Artist Life
1869–1954
Role
Artist
Accession Number
2010.37
Provenance
The artist, Nice and Paris (until 1924, sold, April 15, to Bernheim-Jeune); [Galerie Bernheim-Jeune, Paris, 1924; sold, April 15, to Canonne]; Henri Canonne, Paris (1924–d. 1961); by descent in the Canonne estate (until 1982, sold to Schmit); [Galerie Schmit, Paris, 1982]; private collection, 1982; [Alex Reid and Lefevre Gallery, London, 1983]; [Perls Gallery, New York, until 1986, sold, April, to Dayton]; Bruce Dayton, Wayzata (1986–2010; given to Mia)
Curator Approved

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© Succession H. Matisse / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

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