Henri Matisse

Estate of the artist
Lumley Cazalet Ltd., London
Private Collection, USA
Richard Salmon, London
Waddington Galleries Ltd., London
Gallery Nichido, Tokyo
Private Collection, Switzerland (sale: Sotheby's, London, 22nd June 2004, lot 454)
Private Collection (purchased at the above sale)
Acquired from the above by the present owners

Executed on cream wove paper, not laid down, and attached to the mount at the upper two corners. The right and lower edges are deckled and the upper edge is slightly unevenly cut. This work is in overall very good condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The present work is probably a portrait of Lydia Delectorskaya, a young Russian girl who was one of Matisse's models in the 1930s. She appears in numerous studies and paintings of this period, and later became his loyal secretary and housekeeper until his death in 1954. His fondness for, and familiarity with, Lydia was perfectly expressed in the following pronouncement:  'When I'm bored I do a portrait of Mme Lydia. I know her like the alphabet' (Matisse quoted in P. Schneider, Matisse, London, 1984, p. 576).