Woman Seated in an Armchair
1940
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
oil on canvas
Dimensions
overall: 54 x 65.1 cm (21 1/4 x 25 5/8 in.) framed: 73 x 84.4 x 5.7 cm (28 3/4 x 33 1/4 x 2 1/4 in.)
Classification
Painting
Department
CMC
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Given in loving memory of her husband, Taft Schreiber, by Rita Schreiber
Accession Number
1989.31.1
Art Historical Context
Henri Matisse’s *Woman Seated in an Armchair* captures the quiet intimacy of a domestic interior in 1940, a year when the artist continued to paint in occupied France. By this late stage of his career, Matisse had moved beyond the explosive colors of his Fauvist period toward a more restrained yet still vibrant exploration of form and pattern. The modest scale of the canvas—roughly 21 by 26 inches—invites close viewing, drawing attention to the gentle interplay between figure and setting. Painted in oil on canvas, the work highlights Matisse’s lifelong interest in the medium’s ability to conv...
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...