Elena Rossi
Nasturtiums with the Painting Dance I is a 1912 painting by Henri Matisse. It features the same flowers in the vase at the foreground of The Red Studio, with the nasturtiums in front of the Dance I painting. The work reflects Matisse's fascination with primitive art and his use of a classic Fauvist colour palette. The painting was commissioned by Russian businessman and art collector Sergei Shchukin, who had a long association with Matisse.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Artist | Henri Matisse |
| Date | 1912 |
| Other names | Nasturtiums and the 'Dance,' II (Les capucines à 'La Danse,' 2me version) |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 81.3 x 65.4 cm (32 x 25 3/4 in.) |
| Current location | Museum of Modern Art, New York |
| Previous locations | Shchukin's Moscow mansion; Salon d'Automne |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
- Nasturtiums with the Painting Dance I was painted by Henri Matisse
- The painting was completed in 1910 or 1912
- It was commissioned by Russian businessman Sergei Shchukin
- The painting depicts five dancing figures in warm colours against a cool blue-green background
- It is currently held in the Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg
Nasturtiums with the Painting Dance I was painted by Henri Matisse
Henri Matisse's "Nasturtiums with the Painting Dance I" is a fascinating work that showcases the artist's unique style and themes. Completed in 1912, the painting features nasturtiums, vibrant flowers, placed in front of another one of Matisse's renowned paintings, "Dance I". This earlier work of art, created in 1909 as a preliminary version, is a compositional study that employs paler colours and less detail.
"Nasturtiums with the Painting Dance I" was exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, where it captivated viewers with its intriguing interplay between real and painted elements. Curator Ann Temkin observed that Matisse often linked flowers and dancers in his art, blurring the boundaries between reality and artistic creation. This constant back and forth between art and life, or living and working, was fundamental to his artistic expression.
The flowers in "Nasturtiums with the Painting Dance I" are not just any blooms, but the same flowers that appear in the vase in the foreground of Matisse's "The Red Studio". This connection demonstrates Matisse's penchant for intertwining his subjects with their surroundings, creating an almost ambiguous interconnectedness. The back leg of the table on which the nasturtiums rest appears to land within the painting itself, further emphasising the interplay between dimensions.
"Nasturtiums with the Painting Dance I" also reflects Matisse's fascination with primitive art and his use of a classic Fauvist colour palette. The intense warm colours of the dancing figures contrast with the cool blue-green background, creating a rhythmic composition that conveys feelings of emotional liberation and hedonism. This exploration of colour and movement was pivotal in the development of modern painting, solidifying Matisse's place in art history.
While the commission status of "Nasturtiums with the Painting Dance I" is unclear, it is worth noting that Matisse's "Dance I" was created at the request of Russian businessman and art collector Sergei Shchukin, who had a long association with the artist. "Dance I" hung alongside its companion piece, "Music", on the staircase of Shchukin's Moscow mansion until the October Revolution of 1917.
Cultured Marble Countertops: Can Chips Be Painted?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The painting was completed in 1910 or 1912
Henri Matisse's "Nasturtiums with the Painting 'Dance' I" was completed in 1910 or 1912. The work depicts the same flowers in the vase at the foreground of Matisse's "The Red Studio", with "'Dance' I" in the background. The painting is also referred to as "Nasturtiums and the 'Dance'" and "Nasturtiums and the 'Dance', II".
The earlier date of 1910 is supported by several sources. The Worcester Art Museum's 1941 exhibition catalogue "The Art of the Third Republic: French Painting 1870–1940" lists the work as having been completed in 1910. This date is further corroborated by Thomas B. Hess in the 1948 article "Matisse: A Life of Color" published in Art News.
However, other sources give the date of completion as 1912. MoMA's listing for the painting gives the date as 1912, as does WikiArt.org's listing for "Nasturtiums with 'The Dance' (II)". Additionally, writer Claire Messud and curator Ann Temkin, both referenced on MoMA's website, discuss the painting in the context of the year 1912.
Adding to the ambiguity, a preliminary version of "Dance (I)" was painted by Matisse in March 1909. This earlier work is described as a "compositional study" that uses "paler colours and less detail".
Exterior Painting: Trim First?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
It was commissioned by Russian businessman Sergei Shchukin
Nasturtiums with the Painting "Dance" I is a 1912 work by Henri Matisse. It features the flowers of the same name in the foreground, with Dance I in the background. The painting was created immediately after Matisse received a commission from Russian businessman and art collector Sergei Shchukin. Shchukin, who was born in Moscow in 1854, was the son of a self-made merchant and became a businessman himself. He was also an art collector, mainly of French Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art.
Shchukin had a long association with Matisse, who decorated his mansion and created one of his iconic paintings, La Danse, specifically for him. Shchukin commissioned Matisse in 1909 to create three panels, with dance on one canvas, music on another, and bathing on a third. The third panel was never completed. La Danse, also known as Dance, is commonly recognised as a key point in Matisse's career and the development of modern painting. It is a large decorative panel that depicts five dancing figures painted in strong red, set against a simplified green landscape and deep blue sky. The painting reflects Matisse's fascination with primitive art and uses a classic Fauvist colour palette.
Nasturtiums and the Painting "Dance" I was exhibited at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 1948 and is now held by the Museum of Modern Art in New York. La Danse was bequeathed to the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg by Shchukin, where it hangs alongside Music.
Cutting in: Does Paint Drying Time Affect Results?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The painting depicts five dancing figures in warm colours against a cool blue-green background
Henri Matisse's "Dance" (La Danse) is a painting that depicts five dancing figures in warm colours against a cool blue-green background. It was created in 1910 at the request of Russian businessman and art collector Sergei Shchukin, who bequeathed the large decorative panel to the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg. The painting is considered a key point in Matisse's career and the development of modern painting. It reflects the artist's fascination with primitive art and uses a classic Fauvist colour palette. The intense warm colours of the figures contrast with the cool background, creating a sense of emotional liberation and hedonism.
The preliminary version of "Dance (I)"" was painted in March 1909 and was a compositional study with paler colours and less detail. This version was highly regarded by Matisse, who called it "the overpowering climax of luminosity". "Dance (I)" is featured in the background of Matisse's "Nasturtiums with the Painting 'Dance I'", completed in 1912. This painting depicts nasturtiums in front of "Dance I", with the back leg of the table appearing to land in the painting, blurring the lines between art and life.
"Nasturtiums with the Painting 'Dance I'" is also known as "Nasturtiums and the 'Dance,' II (Les capucines à 'La danse,' 2me version)". It was exhibited at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 1948 and was included in the 1951 book "Matisse: His Art and His Public" by Alfred H. Barr Jr. The painting was also part of the "Matisse: In Search of True Painting" exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York from December 2012 to March 2013.
The flowers in "Nasturtiums with the Painting 'Dance I'" are the same flowers in the vase in the foreground of Matisse's "The Red Studio". The inclusion of flowers and dancers is a typical link for Matisse, where real plants, painted plants, real life, and art are interconnected. This interplay between art and life was fundamental to his artistic practice. The painting inspired artist Faith Ringgold to include Matisse's circle of dancers in her painted quilt titled "Matisse's Model".
How to Paint Over Vinyl Trim with Behr Marquee
You may want to see also
Explore related products
It is currently held in the Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg
Henri Matisse's "Dance" is currently held in the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia. The painting was made in 1910 at the request of Russian businessman and art collector Sergei Shchukin, who bequeathed the large decorative panel to the museum. The composition of dancing figures is commonly recognised as "a key point" in Matisse's career and in the development of modern painting.
The painting shows five dancing figures, painted in strong red, set against a simplified green landscape and deep blue sky. The work reflects Matisse's fascination with primitive art and uses a classic Fauvist colour palette: intense warm colours against a cool blue-green background. The rhythmical succession of dancing nudes conveys feelings of emotional liberation and hedonism.
"Dance" is often associated with the "Dance of the Young Girls" from Igor Stravinsky's famous 1913 musical work, "The Rite of Spring". The painting was inspired by a watercolour by Romanticist William Blake, titled "Oberon, Titania and Puck with Fairies Dancing", and the artist's visits to the Parisian Moulin de la Galette, where he would watch the dancers.
"Dance" was loaned to the H'ART Museum for six weeks from April 1 to May 9, 2010. A lithographic version of the painting, reproduced by Mourlot Freres in Paris, was published in the French art periodical Verve in 1939. This version differs from the original in several ways, including the use of lime green and a black sky with blue near the borders and edges of the figures.
Toenail Painting: Protecting Skin from Polish
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Nasturtiums with the Painting Dance I is a 1912 painting by Henri Matisse. It features nasturtiums in front of an earlier painting of his, Dance I (1910), which is also known as La Danse.
No, it was not a commission. However, Dance I, which is featured in Nasturtiums with the Painting Dance I, was commissioned by Russian businessman and art collector Sergei Shchukin.
Nasturtiums with the Painting Dance I is owned by the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York.
Nasturtiums with the Painting Dance I depicts nasturtiums in a vase on a table. The back leg of the table appears to land in the painting of Dance I, which depicts five dancing figures in red against a simplified green landscape and deep blue sky.
Nasturtiums with the Painting Dance I reflects Henri Matisse's fascination with primitive art and his interest in interconnecting real life and art. The painting is also significant for its use of colour, with intense warm colours set against cool blue-green tones, reflecting Fauvist influences.
