Capucines avec le tableau “Danse” I (1912)

Matisse, Henri (1869-1954)

Capucines avec le tableau “Danse” I (Nasturtiums with the Painting “Dance” I)
1912
Oil on canvas, 191.8 × 115.3 cm
Metropolitan Museum of ArtNew York

Matisse‘s representations of his studio often include glimpses of other artwork. Here he depicts the left half of his large canvas, Dance I (1909, Museum of Modern ArtNew York). The carefully arranged furniture in the foreground flattens the pictorial space. The back leg of the tripod sculpture stand appears to rest in the grass of the painting behind it. Similarly, the chair in the left corner is placed so that the top rung of its back extends a horizontal purple stripe across the canvas. In a simpler version of this composition (Pushkin MuseumMoscow), this stripe denotes the area of wall visible between Dance I and the studio floor. (MET)

See also:

Matisse, Henri (1869-1954)
Danse I
1909
Museum of Modern ArtNew York