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Woman before an Aquarium

Painting of woman, arms crossed on brown desk, staring at goldfish.
© 2018 Succession H. Matisse / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

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  • Painting of woman, arms crossed on brown desk, staring at goldfish.

Date:

1921–23

Artist:

Henri Matisse
French, 1869–1954

About this artwork

In the first two decades of the 20th century, Henri Matisse visited exhibitions of Islamic art and traveled to Algeria and Morocco, where he collected pottery, textiles, and tiles. Years later while living in Nice, France, Matisse reflected on these experiences, integrating visual elements he encountered, such as the patterned textile screen, into his paintings. In Woman before an Aquarium, the carefully subdued decorative pattern of the screen contributes to the psychologically rich, contemplative mood of this interior scene.

Status

On View, Gallery 394

Department

Modern Art

Artist

Henri Matisse

Title

Woman before an Aquarium

Place

France (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1921–1923

Medium

Oil on canvas

Inscriptions

Signed, l.r.: "Henri Matisse"

Dimensions

81.2 × 100.2 cm (31 15/16 × 39 7/16 in.)

Credit Line

Helen Birch Bartlett Memorial Collection

Reference Number

1926.220

Copyright

© 2018 Succession H. Matisse / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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