Henri Matisse (1869-1954) Etching - 'Odalisque couchée'

About this piece

Etching, an eau-forte, made by Matisse in 1923. It's an original etching, edited by the famous and notorios art dealer Ambroise Vollard in an edition around 150 examples. They are not numbered. This eau-forte was part of the collection Henri Petiet, known editor, collector and art dealer. He had the largest collection of works on paper in the world. He bought the complete collection from Ambroise Vollard, after his unexpected death. Vollard didn't left a last will and had no heires.
This eau-forte is included in the Catalogue raisonné der l\oeuvre gravé of Duthuit- Garnaud, no. 86.

This work of an odalisque couchée is made in a period of Matisse's working life he was very interested in Orientalism, he studied the dessins,the pattern and woman were a big theme in his work. Beside paintings he created a lot of graphic work.
An odalisque is a servant and often a slave.The odalisque was a loved theme and many artists portrayed the odalisque, looking directly to the viewer and often half naked, like Matisse did in this work. The expression on her face is so direct and powerful.

Eau-forte is an etching method where the artist paints or draw with an acid flued on the etching plate. Around 1900 it was very en vogue and a loved method. Pissarro for instance created many of them. This eau-forte is printed on vèlin paper.

It's signed with 'Henri Matisse' on the etching plate (mirrored). On the left lower corner are 2 small letters 'T.E.', which indicates this etching can be one of the 6 examples (proofs) they made, 2 proofs on 3 different kind of paper. Which makes it very rare.
On the back is the collection label visible, a cirkled 'HMP'. Also the number 86 is noted in pencil.

Notes were also made on the passe-partout; "Henri Matisse, 'l'Odalisque couchée', Eau-forte originale, 1923". The notes in pencil: "Duthuit-Garnaud 86" and ", "Johnson 80" and "Vente Petiet, 2010 (HMP)". Still visible at the back of the frame. The work is framed in an massive oak frame, acid free board and paper and with special museum glass (Art glass).

Biography:
Henri Matisse (Cateau-Cambrésis,1869- Cimiez,1954) was one of the founding fathers of Fauvism. He was very versatile, he made paintings, graphic art, sculptures but also decorative art and he even wrote a book. He originally studied law, till he get an appendix inflammation and he had a long time to recover. He received some paint from his mother and he started to copy some prints. He liked it so much he took drawing lessons and eventually he moved to Paris. He wants to study art at the Académie Julian and in the mean time he follows lessons at the l'École des Arts décoratifs. It was no succes. At Académie Julian he wasn't welcome because Matisse was not talented enough!

He came in contact with Albert Marquet and Gustave Moreau, Moreau gave him lessons. He also came in contact with the art of van Gogh and he met Camille Pissarro, who teaches him a lot, it influenced him a lot.

Later on he met George Rouault, Charles Camoin, Henri Manguin and Henri Evenpoel.

In 1896 Matisse made his debut on the Salon Nationale des ~Beaux-arts. He sold 2 works out of 4. On the recommendation of Puvis-de Cavanne is he allowed to be a member of the Salon.
In 1898 he married to Amélie Parayee, because of his membership of the Salon and the income of his wife there is enough money to travel and to make a living as an artist.
Together they made several journeys, to London and Corsica among others. They got a daughter named Marguerite.

In 1904 he stayed in Saint-Tropez at Paul Signac, he starts experimenting with Pointilism and Divisionism and he created the famous painting "Luxe, calme et volupté" based on the poem of Beaudelaire. But this method of painting is too narrowed for Matisse and he went on.

In 1905 he stayed a summer in Collioure, together with André Derain. They both start experimenting with contrasting colours without soothing transitions. Also the perspective has no importance.

At the Salon d'Automne 1905, they exhibited there paintings and an Art critic is so negative, he called them "les Fauves", (animals), the new art style Fauvism is born.
The Fauvistic artist like Matisse, Marquet, de Vlaminck, Derain got very negative reviews, there art is described as barbaric, bad art even a child could do better and their work has nothing to do with art anyway.

But great Art collectors as Gertrude Stein, Ivan Morozov and Sergei Sjtsjoekin thought otherwise and are happy to buy Matisse his artworks.

Matisse moves in 1917 to Nice, he make several journeys. He is in this period very interested in Orientalism.

In 1941 Matisse got cancer and the doctors told him he had only six months to live. He decided to do what he wants, no obligations and expectations. He made many colourful drawings, his nurse is one of his models. Plants and flowers, interiors, ladies, all full of colours. His work is changing, he simplifies his forms. he made also illustrations for his favourite poems.

The last ten years of his life, matisse is bounded to a wheelchair, not able to paint any longer. He created cut outs from paper stained with gouache.Of all this cut outs he created paintings.

Henri Matisse died in 1954 of an hart attack.

Provenance:
Collectie Henri Petiet

Literatuur:
M. Duthuit-Matisse, Cl. Duthuit; ' Matisse', Catalogue raisonné de l’oeuvre gravé etabli avec la collaboration de Françoise Garnaud, no. 86, Imprimerie Union, Paris, 1983.

Felix Baumann, Klaus Schenk en Margrit Hahnloser-Ingold; 'Henri Matisse', Kunsthaus Zurich, 1982.

Condition

goed