Two Women
Henri Matisse · c. 1908 · Cleveland Museum of Art
Guide
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From the museum
This is the only sculpture Henri Matisse made of multiple figures. At first glance, the figures may appear identical; however, upon more careful observation, differences in their poses become apparent. One stands with legs together; the other’s legs are apart. One figure’s arm hangs freely; the other’s rests near her hip. Yet in another sense, the two figures act as one, mirrored so that the viewer can see the front and back of the human form simultaneously. Matisse based this sculpture on a photograph of two women published in the ethnographic journal L’Humanité feminine (Feminine Humanity) in 1907.
The museum’s own description, in English. Licence: CC0
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Details
- Maker
- Henri Matisse (French, 1869–1954)
- Date
- c. 1908
- Medium
- bronze
- Dimensions
- Overall: 45.7 x 25.7 cm (18 x 10 1/8 in.)
- Place of origin
- France
- Held by
- Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland · On view · 223 20th Century Avant-Garde
- Credit line
- Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Harold T. Clark
