Henri Matisse (French, 1869-1954), Vue de la Fenêtre, Tanger I

Signed bottom left, ink on paper.
Executed 1912.
10 x 6 5/8 in. (25.4 x 16.8cm)

Note: This lot is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity signed by Wanda de Guébriant and dated December 12, 1984.

Provenance

“Impressionist and Modern Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture, Part II,” Sotheby's, New York, lot 188.
Private Collection, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (acquired directly from the above sale).

Exhibition

“Le Maroc de Matisse,” L'Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris, October 19, 1999-January 30, 2000, exh. cat., no. 30, p. 100 (illus.).

Lot Essay

Henri Matisse first visited Morocco in 1912, particularly drawn to the rich culture and vibrant atmosphere in the city of Tangier. His experiences there had a profound impact on his artistic style throughout his career. While in Tangier, Matisse created a triptych of paintings for his patron, the Russian collector Ivan Morozov. Included in the triptych is a colorful view out the window, a vase of flowers on the windowsill and a cluster of buildings in the distance. The present drawing served as an early expression of this open window theme, a motif he revisited again and again. Vue de la Fenêtre, Tanger I was featured in a special exhibition entitled “Le Maroc de Matisse,” dedicated to the Moroccan triptych in the Pushkin Museum collection, a rare opportunity to view it outside of Russian at L'Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris in 1999-2000.