Still Life with Goldfish I by Henri Matisse

Henri Matisse

Still Life with Goldfish I

What I dream of is an art of balance, of purity and serenity... something like a good armchair which provides relaxation from physical fatigue.

- Henri Matisse

OVERVIEW

This exceptional work of art encapsulates the genius of one of the greatest artists in art history, Henri Matisse. Completely fresh to the market, this monotype, entitled Still Life with Goldfish I, beautifully showcases Matisse's skill as a printmaker as well as one of the most significant motifs in his oeuvre—the goldfish—which is far more than just a symbol.

This print is the first in a series of only six monotypes created between 1914 and 1915, a radical period marked by profound experimentation and innovation in Matisse's long career. Of these six prints featuring goldfish, two are proudly held by the Art Institute of Chicago, highlighting the prestige and rarity of these pieces. Matisse's foray into monotypes was powerful but brief, as he created only 69 in his lifetime, which makes Still Life with Goldfish I an exceptionally rare find.

As a monotype, a process that yields just one single print rather than multiple editions like other printmaking processes, Still Life with Goldfish I is a unique work of art, the only print of its kind. Matisse made his monotypes by coating copper plates—sometimes the very same plates he used in his famous etchings—in black ink; then, using a sharp tool, he made quick, masterful drawings into the ink that were lastly run through his printing press. This particular monotype reveals the artist's virtuosic mastery over line and movement. The simplicity of the composition—a matte black background against the fluid lines depicting two goldfish in a glass container, alongside a plant and a piece of fruit—exemplifies his ability to evoke emotion and movement through a minimalistic yet powerful visual language. Matisse's engagement with printmaking was an essential facet of his artistic exploration, and the period of 1913-1917 is celebrated as one of the most experimental and pivotal phases of Matisse's career.

The significance of this monotype extends beyond its rarity—it features a highly evocative, personal and important motif: the goldfish. Goldfish were a recurring and deeply meaningful motif for Matisse, appearing in more than nine major paintings during the 1910s. Beyond their vibrant hues, which complemented Matisse's quest for pure color in his compositions, goldfish offered a metaphorical layer to his work, representing an idyllic Golden Age and serving as a stand-in for the artist himself.

Matisse was renowned throughout his career for his versatility as an artist, and his vast oeuvre encompasses painting, drawing, sculpture, graphic arts, paper cutouts and book illustration. Perhaps one of art history's greatest draftsmen, he is today considered among the most influential artists of his era alongside Pablo Picasso, who was both a close confidante and friendly rival. Between 1914 and 1917, as World War I ravaged Europe and avant-garde Cubism dominated the Parisian art scene, Matisse experimented with printmaking and other radical ways of transforming his practice, and this crucial period has been the subject of much scholarship and important museum exhibitions.

Matisse's ability to see beauty in simplicity set him apart from his contemporaries and paved the way for the Abstract Expressionists, Minimalists and Pop artists who followed him. Still relevant today, his body of work continues to form the basis of retrospectives and exhibitions at important museums worldwide, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Tate Modern in London and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Rare monotypes such as this are held by the Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Minneapolis Institute of Art. ●

OVERVIEW

PROVENANCE

Private Collection, France

Private Collection, Florida

LITERATURE

Marguerite Duthuit-Matisse and Claude Duthuit, Henri Matisse: Catalogue raisonné de l’oeuvre gravé, with the collaboration of Françoise Garnaud, vol. 1 (C. Duthuit, 1983), p. 278, no. 351 (illustrated)

Stephanie D’Alessandro and John Elderfield, Matisse: Radical Invention, 1913–1917, exh. cat. (Art Institute of Chicago/Museum of Modern Art, New York/Yale University Press, 2010), p. 190-191, cat. 22p (illustrated)

Stephanie D’Alessandro, Matisse: Paintings, works on paper, sculpture, and textiles at the Art Institute of Chicago, 2019, cats. 21-22, figure 21-22.2 in curatorial entry (illustrated)

LITERATURE

Marguerite Duthuit-Matisse and Claude Duthuit, Henri Matisse: Catalogue raisonné de l’oeuvre gravé, with the collaboration of Françoise Garnaud, vol. 1 (C. Duthuit, 1983), p. 278, no. 351 (illustrated)

Marguerite Duthuit-Matisse and Claude Duthuit, Henri Matisse: Catalogue raisonné de l’oeuvre gravé, with the collaboration of Françoise Garnaud, vol. 1 (C. Duthuit, 1983), p. 278, no. 351 (illustrated)

Stephanie D’Alessandro and John Elderfield, Matisse: Radical Invention, 1913–1917, exh. cat. (Art Institute of Chicago/Museum of Modern Art, New York/Yale University Press, 2010), p. 190-191, cat. 22p (illustrated)

Stephanie D’Alessandro and John Elderfield, Matisse: Radical Invention, 1913–1917, exh. cat. (Art Institute of Chicago/Museum of Modern Art, New York/Yale University Press, 2010), p. 190-191, cat. 22p (illustrated)

Stephanie D’Alessandro and John Elderfield, Matisse: Radical Invention, 1913–1917, exh. cat. (Art Institute of Chicago/Museum of Modern Art, New York/Yale University Press, 2010), p. 190-191, cat. 22p (illustrated)

Stephanie D’Alessandro, Matisse: Paintings, works on paper, sculpture, and textiles at the Art Institute of Chicago, 2019, cats. 21-22, figure 21-22.2 in curatorial entry (illustrated)

Stephanie D’Alessandro, Matisse: Paintings, works on paper, sculpture, and textiles at the Art Institute of Chicago, 2019, cats. 21-22, figure 21-22.2 in curatorial entry (illustrated)

Stephanie D’Alessandro, Matisse: Paintings, works on paper, sculpture, and textiles at the Art Institute of Chicago, 2019, cats. 21-22, figure 21-22.2 in curatorial entry (illustrated)

Stephanie D’Alessandro, Matisse: Paintings, works on paper, sculpture, and textiles at the Art Institute of Chicago, 2019, cats. 21-22, figure 21-22.2 in curatorial entry (illustrated)

1

AUCTION COMPARABLES

Henri Matisse

Title Emma au long cou I

Description Henri Matisse (1869-1954)Emma au long Cou I (DuthuitMatisse 367)monotype, 1915, o

Medium monotype

Year of Work 1915

Size

2

Height 6.3 in.; Width 2.4 in. / Height 16 cm.; Width 6 cm.

Edition unique

Cat. Rais. Duthuit-Matisse

Misc. Signed, Inscribed

Sale of Christie's London: Wednesday, March 28, 2012 [Lot 00063]

Old Master, Modern & Contemporary Prints

Estimate 15,000 - 20,000 GBP (23,779 - 31,705 USD)

Sold For 61,250 GBP Premium (97,098 USD)

Henri Matisse

Title Visage d'Emma tourné à gauche. I

Medium monotype

Year of Work 1915

Size

3

Height 7.8 in.; Width 5.8 in. / Height 19.7 cm.; Width 14.7 cm.

Cat. Rais. Duthuit/Garnaud

Misc. Signed, Inscribed

Sale of Galerie Kornfeld Bern: Friday, June 17, 2011 [Lot 00111]

Auktion 253: Kunst des 19. und 20. Jahrhunderts, Teil I

Estimate 40,000 - 40,000 CHF (47,264 - 47,264 USD)

Sold For 80,000 CHF Hammer (94,529 USD)

Henri Matisse

Title Petite figure – Irène Vignier

Description 1914Monotypie15,9x5,9 cm, Plattenkante; 28x18,5 cm, BlattgrösseUnten rechts vo

Medium monotype

Year of Work 1914

Size

Height 6.3 in.; Width 2.3 in. / Height 15.9 cm.; Width 5.9 cm.

Cat. Rais. Duthuit/Garnaud

Misc. Signed, Inscribed

Sale of Galerie Kornfeld Bern: Friday, June 16, 2023 [Lot 00117]

Auction 278 - Live Auction Part I

Estimate 100,000 - 100,000 CHF (111,819 - 111,819 USD)

Sold For 80,000 CHF Hammer (89,455 USD)

MUSEUM COMPARABLES

Henri Matisse | Still Life with Goldfish III

1914-15

Medium: Monotype on paper (chine collé)

Dimensions: 71/8 x 51/8 inches | 18 x 13 cm

Art Institute of Chicago Chicago, United States

MUSEUM COMPARABLES

Henri Matisse | Still Life with Goldfish V

1914-15

Medium: Monotype on paper (chine collé)

Dimensions: 71/8 x 51/8 inches | 18 x 13 cm

Art Institute of Chicago Chicago, United States

MUSEUM COMPARABLES

Henri Matisse | Fruits on a Moroccan Plate

1914-15

Medium: Monotype with chine collé

Dimensions: 21/4 x 63/16 inches | 5.7 cm x 15.7 cm

Museum of Modern of Art New York, United States

MUSEUM COMPARABLES

Henri Matisse | Interior: Young Woman Drawing Fruit

1914-15

Medium: Monotype with chine collé

Dimensions: 313/16 x 57/8 inches | 9.7 cm x 15 cm

Museum of Modern Art New York, United States

MUSEUM COMPARABLES

Henri Matisse | Seated Nude with Arms Crossed

1914-15

Medium: Monotype

Dimensions: 63/4 x 43/4 inches | 17.1 x 12.1 cm

Metropolitan Museum of Art New York, United States

MUSEUM COMPARABLES

Henri Matisse | Three Apples and Plate

1914-15

Medium: Monotype on chine paper

Dimensions: 35/8 x 55/8 inches | 9.21 x 14.29 cm

Minneapolis Institute of Art Minneapolis, MN, United States

MUSEUM COMPARABLES

Henri Matisse | Intérieur, bocal de poissons rouges

1914

Medium: Oil on canvas

Dimensions: 577/8 x 381/4 inches | 147 x 97 cm

Centre Pompidou Paris, France

MUSEUM COMPARABLES

Henri Matisse | Goldfish and Palette

1914-15

Medium: Oil on canvas

Dimensions: 573/4 x 441/4 inches | 146.5 x 112.4 cm

New York, United States

Museum of Modern Art