Study for The Virgin
1950/1951
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
lithograph in black on chine collé
Dimensions
image: 21.8 x 19.8 cm (8 9/16 x 7 13/16 in.) sheet: 50.1 x 22.5 cm (19 3/4 x 8 7/8 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
The John U. and Evelyn S. Nef Collection
Accession Number
2011.60.9
Art Historical Context
Henri Matisse's *Study for The Virgin* (1950/1951) captures the artist's late-career exploration of spiritual themes during a profoundly creative period. By this time, Matisse, the pioneering Fauve known for his vibrant colors and expressive forms, had turned to simplified, monumental shapes due to health challenges that confined him to bed. This lithograph likely served as a preparatory study for religious works, such as those in the Chapel of the Rosary at Vence, France, where Matisse designed ceramics, stained glass, and murals evoking serenity and faith. Created just a few years before his...
About the Artist
Henri Matisse · 1869–1954
Henri Matisse (1869-1954) was a French painter, draughtsman, printmaker, and sculptor who is widely regarded as one of the most influential artists of the 20th century and the greatest colorist of his era. Born in Le Cateau-Cambresis in northern France, Matisse initially studied law before discovering his passion for art during a period of convalescence at age 20. He became the leading figure of F...