Matisse discovered the city of Nice, France on the French Riviera in December of 1917, and quickly fell in love. “Most come here for the light and the picturesque beauty, or scenery. The large colorful reflections in January, the brightness of the day are what attracted me to settle here.” This city was where he produced most of his work, and where he lived until his death in November 1954. The many places where he lived and worked deeply influenced his creative process, but this city in particular greatly impacted the paintings he produced during this time. “When I realized that every morning I would see this light again, I could not describe my joy. I decided not to leave Nice, and I stayed there practically all my life.” In Autumn of 1921, Matisse rented a flat on the 3rd floor in the Pierlas Caïs Palace before moving to the 4th floor in 1927. In his flat/studio he positioned his models in carefully arranged and highly theatrical settings, using an array of props, furniture and fabrics from his own collection. Still-lives, interiors, nudes and odalisques are key features of his “Nice period”. The city of Nice was somewhat like a giant film set during the years Matisse spent there, as the town competed to be Europe’s answer to Hollywood. Matisse was constantly coming across extras in costume, fake rainstorms created by firemen’s hoses, and directors with megaphones. Matisse found all this hubbub contagious, and used it as inspiration for the bright colors, patterns, and shapes that he painted during this time. “Everything was fake, absurd, amazing, delicious,” he said.
A woman named Henriette Darricarrère was working as an extra when Matisse spotted her in the film studios in Nice. He liked her natural dignity, the graceful way her head sat on her neck and, above all, the fact that her body caught the light like a sculpture. A ballet dancer and musician, Henriette became part of the family in the seven years she worked for Matisse. His wife grew especially fond of her, and he himself taught her to paint. Henriette became an integral figure in Matisse’s paintings during his time in Nice, as she not only worked for him as a model, but also became his student and dear friend. The presence of these differing relationships each fueled and influenced Matisse, bringing him to paint her in many different works for many years.
Henri Matisse, Odalisque with Gray Trousers
1927
Oil on canvas
25 5/8 in. × 32 in. (65.1 × 81.3 cm)
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 823
As Darricarrère and Matisse developed a close friendship while both in Nice, she became the main model for his famous set of paintings known as the ‘Odalisques’, from the 1920s and 1930s. The French word odalisque is derived from the Turkish word oda (room), the domestic domain of the odalisque. Each of these rooms were radiantly colored with decor, including a background of vibrant wallpaper behind Darricarrère and the striped cover of the chaise lounge on which she reclines. When interviewed about his Odalisque paintings, Matisse stressed that the fabrics "play a role equivalent to the female nude.” In these Odalisques, Matisse frequently depicted Henriette with her arms raised or folded behind her head, which were remarkable poses to her to hold for 10 hours at a time. However, she was extraordinarily patient and had terrific stamina, which is one of the reasons Matisse continued to employ her as his model.
Henri Matisse, Jeune fille assise, robe jaune
1921–1922
Oil on canvas
21 7/8 x 18 ½ in. (55.4 x 47.2 cm.)
Indianapolis Museum of Art
As seen in the last piece, Henriette Darricarrère slowly became most well known for the elaborate Odalisque poses she modeled for, but Jeune fille assise, robe jaune, painted between 1921 and 1922, captures a very different side of her. This portrait depicts the dancer seated in a chair, gazing both peacefully and directly at the viewer. In the background of the painting is a North African fabric screen called a Haiti that also appeared in Matisse’s painting Deux femmes dans un intérieur mauresque. Matisse was fascinated by objects that fed into his passion for Orientalism, and this fabric screen is no exception; it lurks at the edge of the painting’s frame like a pointed reminder of the artist’s lust for globally relevant objects. The scene is composed of the warm hues which are indicative of the artist’s Nice period, pierced by the bold red of Henriette’s lips and the turquoise bow in her hair.
Henri Matisse, Young Woman at the Window, Sunset
1921
Oil on canvas
20 11/16 x 20 ⅝ in.
The Baltimore Museum of Art: The Cone Collection
In this painting, Matisse has posed Henriette Darricarrère at the window of the studio, looking down at the buildings looking out towards the Nice promenade des Anglais and the baie des Anges. Over the years, Matisse painted several versions of this “woman at the window” composition in many different styles. Henriette spent a lot of her time at Matisse’s studio, and they had very much an equal partnership. Henriette was a remarkable girl: alongside modeling, she also played the violin, and she and Matisse performed duets. Under his tutelage, she became a painter too. Matisse and his wife, Amélie adopted her pretty much as an honorary daughter.
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Henri Matisse, Espagnole: Harmonie en bleu (Spanish Woman: Harmony in Blue)
1923
Oil on canvas
18 1/2 x 14 in. (47 x 35.6 cm)
The Met Accession Number: 1975.1.193
Harmony in Blue belongs to a small series of works in which Matisse depicts Henriette Darricarrère in a frontal pose, almost as if he were executing a formal portrait. In each case, she appears before a different fabric background and is outfitted in various costumes and accessories with ethnic associations; often, as here, she is dressed as a Spanish woman. Contrasting to the odalisques where Henriette was depicted nude reclining on lush furniture, here she is fully clothed, elaborately, sitting with her arms rested on a table.
Henri Matisse (French, Fauvism, 1869-1954), Ballerina
1927
Oil on canvas
50 x 65 cm
Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg, Russia
Henriette was formerly known most as an accomplished ballerina and musician, until her severe stage fright forced her to abandon the performing arts in 1924 and instead pursue a career in the visual arts. She was soon spotted by Matisse and then became one of his models, as well as his painting student. Matisse was no doubt drawn not only by her looks, her well-sculpted, strong form, but also by her artistry: she could easily transform herself into an odalisque, a Spanish lady, a violinist, or a pianist, as well as a dancer. Matisse’s pieces are known for their remarkable contrast of rich colors, and Ballerina is no exception. “Colors have a beauty of their own which must be preserved, as one strikes to preserve pure tones in music. It is a question of organization and construction that is sensitive to maintaining this beautiful freshness of color….What counts most with color are relationships….No doubt there are a thousand different ways of working with color. But when one composes with it, like a musician with harmonies, it is simply a question of emphasizing the differences.” – Henri Matisse
Henri Matisse (French, 1869-1954), Festival of Flowers
1922
Oil on canvas
25 ⅞ x 36 ⅝ in.
The Baltimore Museum of Art: The Cone Collection
In the spring of 1921 Matisse began a series of paintings that depict the annual parade of flower-decorated floats and marching bands in Nice, a celebration that marked the change in season from winter to spring. In this composition, Marguerite Matisse, his daughter, and Henriette Darricarrère pose in their winter coats on the balcony of the his studio as they watch the parade pass by. This is actually the same studio that Henriette was looking out of in Young Woman at the Window, Sunset! The two women are gazing into a distant area that is out of the viewer’s sight, creating a sense of mystery.
Henri Matisse, The Three O’Clock Sitting
1924
Oil on canvas
36 1/4 x 28 3/4 in
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 900
Lastly, we come to The Three O’Clock Sitting, the painting that originally peaked my interest in Matisse’s and Darricarrère’s relationship. The Three O’Clock Sitting is set in Matisse’s flat in the Pierlas Caïs Palace, with the captivating view of the Mediterranean Sea outside the studio window. You can see Matisse’s love for bright patterns again in this piece, with the patterned wallpaper and vibrant colors in the composition. Can you guess which figure is Henriette? You would think she is the model being painted, but she is actually the woman sitting at the easel doing the painting! More surprisingly, the model Henriette is painting is a man! It is thought to be her brother, who worked as a bellhop at a local hotel. Scholars have discussed the unusual nature of the male nude. His presence, combined with the female painter and the implied presence of Matisse himself, creates a fascinating dynamic. There is even one of Matisse’s own works in the room – the white object atop the piece of mirrored furniture is a plaster of a reclining female figure that he sculpted, Reclining Nude I (1907).
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