Matisse et Marguerite : le regard d'un père
Auteur(s) : Collectif
Exhibition at the Musée d'Art Moderne, Paris, 4 April - 24 August 2025
Marguerite (1894-1982), the eldest of three children born to Henri Matisse (1869-1954), was born of a short-lived relationship between the artist, then a young painting student, and his model Caroline Joblaud. Recognised by her father, she grew up alongside Jean and Pierre, the sons of Matisse and his wife Amélie. ‘We are like the five fingers of one hand’, Marguerite would later write of this close-knit family.
From the first images of childhood to the end of the Second World War, Marguerite remained Matisse's most constant model in his work. Carrying a remarkable frankness and intensity, her portraits betray a rare emotion, commensurate with the deep affection Matisse felt for his daughter. After her father's death, Marguerite Duthuit-Matisse set herself the task of compiling a catalogue raisonné of his works.
Bringing together more than 110 works (paintings, drawings, engravings, sculptures, ceramics), this exhibition catalogue shows Matisse's view of his eldest daughter, an essential but discreet figure in his family circle, both as an artist and as a father. It is also an opportunity to discover the fascinating destiny of an extraordinary woman who played a leading role in her father's career.
