It’s exceptional, and happened just a few days ago. An impressive collection of rare paintings rarely shown to the public, signed by Henri Matisse, has just been donated. And no, it’s not the Musée d’Orsay, which could very well have housed these works of art… but the Musée d’Art Moderne in Paris. The illustrious painter’s family has been very generous in donating some sixty paintings, most of them featuring Marguerite, the painter’s daughter.
Rare paintings by Matisse donated to this Paris museum…
A great figure of modernism, Henri Matisse is known the world over for his bold, colorful compositions! But what few people know is that he also spent a lot of time painting those closest to him, in particular his daughter Marguerite. Although Marguerite was born of an illegitimate love affair between the painter and model Caroline Jablau, she grew up with her father and was very close to him. So much so, in fact, that she became his agent and played a major role in preserving his work after his death in 1954.
Exhibited last summer in an exhibition dedicated to this filial bond, the collection was due to be repatriated to New York. But Barbara Dauphin Duthuit, wife of Matisse’s grandson, decided to donate the entire collection to the museum. Thanks to this generous donation, the museum’ s collection of Henri Matisse paintings has tripled. These magnificent works testify to the strong bond between the artist and his daughter, and reveal a new facet of the painter with more intimate and delicate works. Portraits you’ll soon be able to admire!