Henri Matisse Donates Over 60 Masterpieces to Paris Museum as Surprising Gesture of Generosity
The Musée d'Art Moderne in Paris has just received an extraordinary gift from Barbara Dauphin Duthuit, wife of Henri Matisse's grandson Claude, consisting of 61 artworks by the renowned French artist, including paintings, drawings, etchings, lithographs and a sculpture. The donation is being hailed as both historic and generous, adding significantly to the museum's already impressive collection.
The majority of these works feature Marguerite, Matisse's daughter, who was his favorite subject. Born during his relationship with model Caroline Joblau while he was studying art in Paris, Marguerite was adopted by her father after just four years, along with two half-brothers Jean and Pierre. The artist often portrayed Marguerite as a young girl in his artwork.
Marguerite herself had a remarkable life, contracting diphtheria at the age of six, which required emergency surgery to repair. She wore high-necked blouses or ribbons to hide the scar until she was 26, after which she underwent an operation to repair it. Despite suffering from fragile health throughout her life, Marguerite joined the French resistance during WWII and even displayed her own artwork in group exhibitions.
The portraits of Marguerite, showcasing her beauty and spirit, have been described by MAM director Fabrice Hergott as "extremely beautiful and moving." The 61 works are set to join an existing collection of 20 Matisse artworks already held by the museum. What makes this donation even more remarkable is that it was made possible through Barbara Dauphin Duthuit's generosity, allowing Marguerite's artwork to find a new home for generations to come.
The fact that Matisse himself preferred his art to be kept within the family rather than sold underscores the significance of this donation. It not only highlights the enduring legacy of Henri Matisse but also serves as a testament to the strong bond between an artist and their loved ones, now set to inspire future generations at the Musée d'Art Moderne in Paris.
The Musée d'Art Moderne in Paris has just received an extraordinary gift from Barbara Dauphin Duthuit, wife of Henri Matisse's grandson Claude, consisting of 61 artworks by the renowned French artist, including paintings, drawings, etchings, lithographs and a sculpture. The donation is being hailed as both historic and generous, adding significantly to the museum's already impressive collection.
The majority of these works feature Marguerite, Matisse's daughter, who was his favorite subject. Born during his relationship with model Caroline Joblau while he was studying art in Paris, Marguerite was adopted by her father after just four years, along with two half-brothers Jean and Pierre. The artist often portrayed Marguerite as a young girl in his artwork.
Marguerite herself had a remarkable life, contracting diphtheria at the age of six, which required emergency surgery to repair. She wore high-necked blouses or ribbons to hide the scar until she was 26, after which she underwent an operation to repair it. Despite suffering from fragile health throughout her life, Marguerite joined the French resistance during WWII and even displayed her own artwork in group exhibitions.
The portraits of Marguerite, showcasing her beauty and spirit, have been described by MAM director Fabrice Hergott as "extremely beautiful and moving." The 61 works are set to join an existing collection of 20 Matisse artworks already held by the museum. What makes this donation even more remarkable is that it was made possible through Barbara Dauphin Duthuit's generosity, allowing Marguerite's artwork to find a new home for generations to come.
The fact that Matisse himself preferred his art to be kept within the family rather than sold underscores the significance of this donation. It not only highlights the enduring legacy of Henri Matisse but also serves as a testament to the strong bond between an artist and their loved ones, now set to inspire future generations at the Musée d'Art Moderne in Paris.
61 masterpieces from Henri Matisse... that's insane! 
I mean, can you imagine the art world without these iconic pieces? 
The fact that they're being donated to a museum is just incredible. It's like he wanted his legacy to live on through his family and loved ones. And how cool is it that Marguerite got to be a muse for her dad? 
It's amazing what people are willing to do with their wealth and resources... 
I mean, 61 masterpieces from Matisse? That's insane! But you know what's even crazier? The forum is still slow as heck today 
. Took me like 2 minutes just to comment on this article 
. And can we please get some decent image upload capabilities? It's always a hassle when I try to share something cool and the images keep getting all mangled 
. Anyway, back to Matisse – it's awesome that his wife donated these works to the museum. Good for her 
...
? it's all just stuff... art is everywhere, you can find it in nature, people, music... why do we need to hoard it all in one place? 
and now this guy donates 61 paintings... that's like giving away a kid for free 
... marguerite sounds like an amazing person too... i mean, fighting diphtheria at 6 and joining the resistance? that's some serious stuff 
... but what's really cool is that it was her art that made all this possible 
but at the same time its awesome that matisse's family values art over money, even if it was just for personal reasons 
. I guess it's nice that her artwork is going to some museum where people can appreciate it instead of collecting dust on some private shelf.
. 61 masterpieces is insane! i mean its not just about the art itself but the story behind it too... marguerite's life is so inspiring from contracting diphtheria to joining the french resistance 
. i can already imagine the museum's collection growing with these incredible pieces 
Talk about taking your time finding love and wanting it right! 
What a beautiful legacy! 
I'm literally speechless right now! A 61-piece collection from Henri Matisse's personal art stash? That's insane!!! 
. I mean, who wouldn't want to own a piece of history? 
The fact that Matisse himself chose to keep the majority of his art within the family is truly touching 
anyways i'm not surprised matisse was close to her, he did paint those portraits of hers for like 60 years straight 