Dancer Resting
Artist: Henri Matisse (French, 1869-1954)
Date: 1940
Dimensions:
Painting: 32 × 25 1/2 in. (81.3 × 64.8 cm)
Frame: 40 1/4 × 34 1/4 × 4 in. (102.2 × 87 × 10.2 cm)
Medium: oil on canvas
Classification: Paintings
Credit Line: Gift of Mrs. C. Lockhart McKelvy
Object number: 1947.54
Label Text:Painted just before Henri Matisse abandoned painting for designs composed of paper cutouts, Dancer Resting incorporates interests that occupied him throughout his career. Even though the figure of the woman dominates the painting, the bright colors, varied lines, and patterns play just as great a role.
The woman, Lydia Delectorskaya, Matisse’s favorite model at the time, leans back in her chair, her legs casually splayed. She gazes out matter-of-factly at the viewer, at ease with herself. One of Matisse’s paintings of nudes rests on an easel in the upper right and provides a self-referential wink to the viewer. House plants and the large blocks of color on the floor create patterns that reflect Matisse’s lifelong interest in decorative motifs.
Though 40 years his junior, Delectorskaya remained with Matisse as a studio manager, model, and secretary until his death in 1954. Enigmatically known only as “Madame Lydia” to studio visitors, she was pivotal in helping to produce his late work when his health was in rapid decline. Although Matisse’s wife left him in 1939 in part due to his closeness with Delectorskaya, the exact nature of their personal relationship remains unclear.
The woman, Lydia Delectorskaya, Matisse’s favorite model at the time, leans back in her chair, her legs casually splayed. She gazes out matter-of-factly at the viewer, at ease with herself. One of Matisse’s paintings of nudes rests on an easel in the upper right and provides a self-referential wink to the viewer. House plants and the large blocks of color on the floor create patterns that reflect Matisse’s lifelong interest in decorative motifs.
Though 40 years his junior, Delectorskaya remained with Matisse as a studio manager, model, and secretary until his death in 1954. Enigmatically known only as “Madame Lydia” to studio visitors, she was pivotal in helping to produce his late work when his health was in rapid decline. Although Matisse’s wife left him in 1939 in part due to his closeness with Delectorskaya, the exact nature of their personal relationship remains unclear.
On view
In Collection(s)