In the last decade of his life, Henri MATISSE created a series of Blue Nude collages, which still remain some of his most recognized and beloved works. Cut-outs were his preferred technique at the time, while the solid blue (which represented distance and volume) was a remnant of the artist’s bold Fauvist palette and his experimentations with line and color.

The figure depicted on the triptych is said to have been inspired by MATISSEs collection of African sculptures, as well as his travels to Tahiti. The poses of each of the Blue Nudes have been intricately constructed, sometimes over periods of multiple weeks, to achieve their voluminous and sculptural quality.

2024 Succession H. Matisse (1869-1954) Paris, Centre Pompidou – Muse national d’art moderne – Centre de cration industrielle (C) Centre Pompidou, MNAM-CCI, Dist. GrandPalaisRmn / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York