Interior at Nice
- Artist
- Henri Matisse, French, 1869–1954
- Date
- c.1919
- Material
- Oil on canvas
- depicts
- Nice, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, Western Europe, France, Europe
- Classification
- Paintings
- Current Location
- On View, Gallery 244
- Dimensions
- 26 1/4 x 21 5/8 in. (66.7 x 54.9 cm)
framed: 35 x 30 1/2 x 2 in. (88.9 x 77.5 x 5.1 cm) - Credit Line
- Museum Purchase
- Rights
- © 2013 Succession H. Matisse / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
- Object Number
- 74:1945
NOTES
Henri Matisse evokes the relaxed atmosphere of Nice, France, a seaside city where the artist lived and worked for many years. Large doors have been thrown open to reveal the palm trees and sands of the sunny Mediterranean coast. Within the interior, Matisse explores a range of rich colors and decorative patterns around a seated figure that appears to be deep in thought. The artist painted variants of this picture with differing coloristic effects.
Provenance
1921
Galerie Bernheim-Jeune, Paris, France, purchased from the artist [1]
1921 -
St. John Hutchinson, London, England, purchased from Galerie Bernheim-Jeune [2]
by 1929 - 1930
Guillaume and Davis, Ltd., London, England [3]
1930 - 1940
M. Knoedler & Co., Inc., London, England; New York, NY, USA, acquired from Guillaume and Davis, Ltd. [4]
1940 -
Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY, acquired from M. Knoedler & Co., Inc.
- 1945
Theodore Schempp, New York, NY
1945 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, purchased from Theodore Schempp [5]
Notes:
The main sources for this provenance are the bill of sale from Theodore Schempp dated June 8, 1945 and the Getty Provenance Index [SLAM document files; Knoedler's stock no. 1157]. Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.
[1] Galerie Bernheim-Jeune purchased this painting (inventory no. 22602) from Matisse on April 19, 1921 and sold it to St. John Hutchinson on May 23, 1921 [Dauberville, Guy-Patrice and Michel. "Matisse: Henri Matisse chez Bernheim-Jeune." Vol. 2, "Catalogue des Oeuvres Répertoriées: no. 216 au 798." Paris: Editions Bernheim-Jeune, 1995, no. 466].
[2] See note [1]. An undated black and white photograh shows this painting over the fireplace in the drawing room of Mrs. St. John Hutchinson's residence, Regent's Park, London [Cowart, Jack, and Dominique Fourcade. "Henri Matisse: The Early Years in Nice." Washington: National Gallery of Art, 1986, p. 258].
[3] The Theodore Schempp invoice lists Brandon Davis, Paris, France and Paul Guillaume Galleries, London, England as previous owners of "Interior at Nice" [invoice dated June 8, 1945, SLAM document files]. However, the Getty Provenance Index indicates that M. Knoedler & Co., Inc. actually acquired the work from the entity that combined these two proprietors: Guillaume & Davis, Inc., London, England. The painting was included in a December 1929 exhibition presented by Paul Guillaume and Brandon Davis at Paul Guillaume Galleries, so presumably Guillaume & Davis, Inc. owned the work at that time ["Exhibition of French Paintings." London: Paul Guillaume Galleries, 1929, no. 22].
[4] "Interior at Nice" was published as belonging to Knoedler Galleries in 1931 ["Painting of an Interior at Nice." "Town and Country" 86, no. 4058 (June 15, 1931): 22]. A label on the back of the painting for a June 1931 exhibition also indicates that it belonged to Knoedler & Co., Inc. The painting was exhibited in 1933 at the State Fair of Texas, where it was published as belonging to M. Knoedler & Co., Inc., New York ["State Fair of Texas: Illustrated Catalog: 1933 Exhibition, Showing the Changes in Painting for the Last Hundred Years in Europe and America." Dallas: State Fair of Texas, 1933, no. 52]. The next year, M. Knoedler & Co., Inc. lent the painting again, to the California Palace of the Legion of Honor in San Francisco ["Exhibition of French Painting, from the Fifteenth Century to the Present Day." San Francisco: Johnck & Seeger, 1934, no. 208].
[5] Minutes of the Administrative Board of Control of the City Art Museum, June 7, 1945.
Galerie Bernheim-Jeune, Paris, France, purchased from the artist [1]
1921 -
St. John Hutchinson, London, England, purchased from Galerie Bernheim-Jeune [2]
by 1929 - 1930
Guillaume and Davis, Ltd., London, England [3]
1930 - 1940
M. Knoedler & Co., Inc., London, England; New York, NY, USA, acquired from Guillaume and Davis, Ltd. [4]
1940 -
Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY, acquired from M. Knoedler & Co., Inc.
- 1945
Theodore Schempp, New York, NY
1945 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, purchased from Theodore Schempp [5]
Notes:
The main sources for this provenance are the bill of sale from Theodore Schempp dated June 8, 1945 and the Getty Provenance Index [SLAM document files; Knoedler's stock no. 1157]. Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.
[1] Galerie Bernheim-Jeune purchased this painting (inventory no. 22602) from Matisse on April 19, 1921 and sold it to St. John Hutchinson on May 23, 1921 [Dauberville, Guy-Patrice and Michel. "Matisse: Henri Matisse chez Bernheim-Jeune." Vol. 2, "Catalogue des Oeuvres Répertoriées: no. 216 au 798." Paris: Editions Bernheim-Jeune, 1995, no. 466].
[2] See note [1]. An undated black and white photograh shows this painting over the fireplace in the drawing room of Mrs. St. John Hutchinson's residence, Regent's Park, London [Cowart, Jack, and Dominique Fourcade. "Henri Matisse: The Early Years in Nice." Washington: National Gallery of Art, 1986, p. 258].
[3] The Theodore Schempp invoice lists Brandon Davis, Paris, France and Paul Guillaume Galleries, London, England as previous owners of "Interior at Nice" [invoice dated June 8, 1945, SLAM document files]. However, the Getty Provenance Index indicates that M. Knoedler & Co., Inc. actually acquired the work from the entity that combined these two proprietors: Guillaume & Davis, Inc., London, England. The painting was included in a December 1929 exhibition presented by Paul Guillaume and Brandon Davis at Paul Guillaume Galleries, so presumably Guillaume & Davis, Inc. owned the work at that time ["Exhibition of French Paintings." London: Paul Guillaume Galleries, 1929, no. 22].
[4] "Interior at Nice" was published as belonging to Knoedler Galleries in 1931 ["Painting of an Interior at Nice." "Town and Country" 86, no. 4058 (June 15, 1931): 22]. A label on the back of the painting for a June 1931 exhibition also indicates that it belonged to Knoedler & Co., Inc. The painting was exhibited in 1933 at the State Fair of Texas, where it was published as belonging to M. Knoedler & Co., Inc., New York ["State Fair of Texas: Illustrated Catalog: 1933 Exhibition, Showing the Changes in Painting for the Last Hundred Years in Europe and America." Dallas: State Fair of Texas, 1933, no. 52]. The next year, M. Knoedler & Co., Inc. lent the painting again, to the California Palace of the Legion of Honor in San Francisco ["Exhibition of French Painting, from the Fifteenth Century to the Present Day." San Francisco: Johnck & Seeger, 1934, no. 208].
[5] Minutes of the Administrative Board of Control of the City Art Museum, June 7, 1945.