Label TextMatisse was one of the forefathers of Fauvism, a movement within Modernism known for its expressive use of strong, often non-naturalistic color. Despite the traditional subject matter of this work, it is typical of Matisse’s radical approach to painting as it highlights the physical reality of color and shape on a two-dimensional canvas rather than attempting to create an illusion of real space. The patterns on the wall, chair, and dress show Matisse’s interest in cut-outs or decoupage, and the woman’s refined features resemble an African mask. African, Oceanic, and other non-Western art objects were a strong influence on Matisse, as well as many other Modernists.
The painting,...,is from Matisse's post war period when he was working in the south of France. Source: Bulletin, November 1959.
Exhibition History"Posing Modernity: The Black Model from Manet to Matisse to Today", Wallach Art Gallery, Columbia University, Oct 24, 2018 - Feb 10, 2019
"Le Modele Noir", Musee d"Orsay, March 26 - 21 July, 2019
"Selected Cowles Family Gifts to the Permanent Collection," Des Moines Art Center, July 30 - Sept. 11, 1994
"Highlights from Three Collections: The Bohen, Coffin and Cowles Collections," Des Moines Art Center, July 8 - Sept. 11, 1983
"Art in Western Europe: The Postwar Years 1945 - 1955," Des Moines Art Center, Sept. 19 - Oct. 29, 1978
"Gifts of John and Elizabeth Bates Cowles," Des Moines Art Center, (on view in north Blank Gallery during opening of the new wing), Oct. 4 - Nov. 5, 1968
"Communicating Art from Midwest Collections," Des Moines Art Center, Oct. 13 - Nov. 6, 1955
"The Art of Henri Matisse," The Society of the Four Arts, Palm Beach, Feb. 6 - Mar. 1, 1953
Published ReferencesVERVE, Vol. 6, no. 21 and 22, Paris, 1944-1948, ill.
Alfred H. Barr, Jr., MATISSE - HIS ART AND HIS PUBLIC, Museum of Modern Art, N.Y., 1951, ref. p.275
"The Art of Henri Matisse," The Society of the Four Arts, Palm Beach, 1953, exh. cat. no.26
"Communicating Art from Midwest Collections," Des Moines Art Center, 1955, exh. cat. no.55, ill.
DMAC Bulletin, Nov. 1959, ill.
NEW YORK TIMES, SUNDAY BOOK REVIEW SECTION, July 12, 1959, ill.
"Art In Western Europe: The Postwar Years 1945 - 1955," Des Moines Art Center, 1978, exh. cat. no.36, color ill.
DES MOINES SUNDAY REGISTER, Apr. 17, 1983, color ill.
DES MOINES ART CENTER: SELECTED PAINTINGS, SCULPTURES AND WORKS ON PAPER, Des Moines Art Center, 1985, ref. p.150, color ill. pl.XIX, p.115
DMAC News, July/Aug. 1994, p.2
AN UNCOMMON VISION: THE DES MOINES ART CENTER, Des Moines Art Center, 1998, ref. p.184, color ill. p.185
"Letters from John Cowles to his Family, 1943-1976; 1945", edited by Elizabeth Ballantine, Durango Herald Press, 2003, cover image
"Posing Modernity: The Black Model from Manet and Matisse to Today", publ. Musee d'Orsay/Paris, 2018
"Le Modele Noir", publ. Musee d'Orsay/Flammarion, 2019, p. 332, Illus. p. 261, full citation - pg. 357
"Matisse - Invitation to the Voyage," Fondation Beyeler, Basel, 2024, p. 178
The painting,...,is from Matisse's post war period when he was working in the south of France. Source: Bulletin, November 1959.
Exhibition History"Posing Modernity: The Black Model from Manet to Matisse to Today", Wallach Art Gallery, Columbia University, Oct 24, 2018 - Feb 10, 2019
"Le Modele Noir", Musee d"Orsay, March 26 - 21 July, 2019
"Selected Cowles Family Gifts to the Permanent Collection," Des Moines Art Center, July 30 - Sept. 11, 1994
"Highlights from Three Collections: The Bohen, Coffin and Cowles Collections," Des Moines Art Center, July 8 - Sept. 11, 1983
"Art in Western Europe: The Postwar Years 1945 - 1955," Des Moines Art Center, Sept. 19 - Oct. 29, 1978
"Gifts of John and Elizabeth Bates Cowles," Des Moines Art Center, (on view in north Blank Gallery during opening of the new wing), Oct. 4 - Nov. 5, 1968
"Communicating Art from Midwest Collections," Des Moines Art Center, Oct. 13 - Nov. 6, 1955
"The Art of Henri Matisse," The Society of the Four Arts, Palm Beach, Feb. 6 - Mar. 1, 1953
Published ReferencesVERVE, Vol. 6, no. 21 and 22, Paris, 1944-1948, ill.
Alfred H. Barr, Jr., MATISSE - HIS ART AND HIS PUBLIC, Museum of Modern Art, N.Y., 1951, ref. p.275
"The Art of Henri Matisse," The Society of the Four Arts, Palm Beach, 1953, exh. cat. no.26
"Communicating Art from Midwest Collections," Des Moines Art Center, 1955, exh. cat. no.55, ill.
DMAC Bulletin, Nov. 1959, ill.
NEW YORK TIMES, SUNDAY BOOK REVIEW SECTION, July 12, 1959, ill.
"Art In Western Europe: The Postwar Years 1945 - 1955," Des Moines Art Center, 1978, exh. cat. no.36, color ill.
DES MOINES SUNDAY REGISTER, Apr. 17, 1983, color ill.
DES MOINES ART CENTER: SELECTED PAINTINGS, SCULPTURES AND WORKS ON PAPER, Des Moines Art Center, 1985, ref. p.150, color ill. pl.XIX, p.115
DMAC News, July/Aug. 1994, p.2
AN UNCOMMON VISION: THE DES MOINES ART CENTER, Des Moines Art Center, 1998, ref. p.184, color ill. p.185
"Letters from John Cowles to his Family, 1943-1976; 1945", edited by Elizabeth Ballantine, Durango Herald Press, 2003, cover image
"Posing Modernity: The Black Model from Manet and Matisse to Today", publ. Musee d'Orsay/Paris, 2018
"Le Modele Noir", publ. Musee d'Orsay/Flammarion, 2019, p. 332, Illus. p. 261, full citation - pg. 357
"Matisse - Invitation to the Voyage," Fondation Beyeler, Basel, 2024, p. 178
DimensionsFrame: 44 3/16 × 31 1/2 × 1 1/2 in. (112.2 × 80 × 3.8 cm)
Canvas: 38 × 23 3/4 in. (96.5 × 60.3 cm)
Image (visible): 35 5/8 × 23 1/4 in. (90.4 × 59.1 cm)
Canvas: 38 × 23 3/4 in. (96.5 × 60.3 cm)
Image (visible): 35 5/8 × 23 1/4 in. (90.4 × 59.1 cm)
Accession Number 1959.40
Classificationspainting
CopyrightARS
SignedH. Matisse 46 (l,l oil paint)
ProvenanceArtist, France; (Pierre Matisse Gallery, New York); Mr. and Mrs. John & Elizabeth Bates Cowles, Minneapolis, MN [purchased from the previous, 5 April 1948]; Des Moines Art Center [gifted by previous, 1959]
Collections
Images (1)
Audio (2)
Denise Murrell, Associate Curator of 19th and 20th Century art at the Metropolitan Museum of ArtAudio Transcript
60th Anniversary Audio Tour with Jeff Fleming, DirectorHenri Matisse (French, 1869 - 1954)
Dame à la robe blanche (Woman in White), 1946
Run Time: 1:17
Recorded by Denise Murrell, Associate Curator of 19th and 20th Century art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art / March, 2020
Here is Denise Murrell, Associate Curator of 19th and 20th Century art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She has made a recent discovery about the Art Center’s painting by Heri Matisse title Woman in White from 1946.
In 1946, French modernist Henri Matisse, made four paintings posed by Elvire Van Hyfte at his residence, the Villa Le Reve in the South of France. She was a Belgian Congolese journalist. For much of 1946 she as a regular and welcome visitor to the Villa Le Reve. She and Matisse discussed books that they had both recently read. During this time, Matisse placed her at the center of some of the richest and most decorative paintings that he had ever made. These paintings were among the final easel paintings made by Matisse before he turned his attention to the paper cutouts that defined his work until his death eight years later.
