Henri Matisse’s La Séance du matin is a cornerstone of his Nice period, turning a seemingly casual morning into a meticulously staged meditation on color and illumination. At its center is Henriette, the film extra turned muse whom Matisse also taught to paint—no longer just a subject, but an artist within the painting. Every fabric, pattern and shaft of light is precisely arranged so that, uniquely, Matisse doesn’t just depict sunlight; he seems to trap and preserve it inside the frame.
This work by Matisse will be on offer as part of Sotheby's Modern Evening Auction, presented by CELINE, on 19 May in New York.
