L’Odalisque Assise (After Matisse)
Details
Edition
/250
Medium
Color Lithograph Printed on Arches
Signature
Plate Signed
Unframed Dimensions
25.25 x 19 in
64.14 x 48.26 cm
Framed Dimensions
31.75 x 25 in
80.65 x 63.5 cm
More from this artist
About the artist
Henri Matisse (born December 31, 1869 in Le Cateau-Cambrésis, France; died November 3, 1954 in Nice) is one of the most influential French artists of the 20th century and a foundational figure of modern art. Known for his radical use of color, expressive line, and inventive compositions, Matisse helped redefine painting during a period of immense artistic transformation. His work shaped modernism alongside peers such as Pablo Picasso, with whom he maintained a lifelong dialogue of innovation and mutual influence.
Matisse discovered his passion for art in his early twenties, abandoning his pursuit of law to study at the Académie Julian and later the École des Beaux-Arts. Influenced by the Impressionists and Post-Impressionists, including Cézanne, Van Gogh, and Signac, Matisse quickly developed his own distinctive language rooted in emotional resonance and visual pleasure.
By the early 1900s, he emerged as the leader of the Fauvist movement, a group known for its bold, non-naturalistic color and expressive brushwork. Among his most celebrated achievements of this period is The Joy of Life (1905–06), a landmark in modern painting and now a centerpiece of The Barnes Foundation. In 1910, he completed The Dance, a monumental commission that remains a defining masterpiece of 20th-century art.
Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, Matisse shifted toward richly patterned interiors, odalisques, and explorations of line and decorative design. His interest in textiles, Eastern imagery, and the interplay between figure and environment produced iconic works such as Odalisque au coffret rouge (1927).
In the 1940s, after health challenges limited his mobility, Matisse reinvented his practice yet again with his now-iconic paper cut-outs, which he called “drawing with scissors.” His 1947 book Jazz, a series of brilliantly colored gouache cut-outs, exemplifies this late-career brilliance and remains one of the most celebrated artist books of the century.
Across paintings, cut-outs, drawings, prints, murals, tapestries, and sculpture, Matisse pursued a lifelong mission: to create art that offered harmony, joy, and emotional depth. Picasso famously said, “All things considered, there is only Matisse,” reflecting the immense artistic respect he garnered during his lifetime.
Matisse’s works are held in major museums worldwide, including The Museum of Modern Art (New York), the Musée Matisse (Nice), the Art Institute of Chicago, the Centre Pompidou (Paris), the Tate (London), and numerous national collections across Europe and the United States. His innovations in color, form, and composition continue to influence contemporary artists, designers, and curators.
Henri Matisse remains a cornerstone of modern art history. His works, whether original prints, drawings, or cut-outs, offer collectors the rare opportunity to own pieces by an artist whose vision reshaped the trajectory of visual culture. His strong museum presence, enduring market demand, and unmatched influence ensure his place as one of the most significant and collectible artists of the 20th century.
Explore Henri Matisse at DTR Modern Galleries
Discover works by Henri Matisse across DTR Modern Galleries’ locations in New York City, Boston, Palm Beach, and Washington, D.C., where modern masters meet contemporary visionaries.
