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44 44 H E N R I M A T I S S E 1 8 6 9 - 1 9 5 4 Woman at the Piano, c. 1923-4 Signed 'Henri Matisse' lower left Charcoal and estompe on paper 12 ⅝ x 17 ⅞ in, 32 x 45.4 cm Provenance Knoedler & Co., New York Private Collection, New York Literature Georges Matisse has confirmed the authenticity of this work. The work is included in the Archives Matisse under No. V181 and will be accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. Henri Matisse moved to Nice in 1917 to escape the "inner conflicts" that were tormenting him in Paris and to look for a "new kind of synthesis". It is perhaps no coincidence that at this point in what has become known as his Nice period, a number of his works are "paintings of intimacy". Woman at the Piano is a marvellous example of Matisse's jewel-like sketches from the 1920s; from a technical perspective the artist's employment of estompe, the rubbing of the charcoal lines with the blunt end of a rolled-paper stick, allowed him to simultaneously explore subtle nuances in the sitter's character, as well as the luminous quality of light that surrounded her. Matisse frequently used this richly evocative technique to bring informal and evocative moments to life. From 1920 to 1927 Henriette Darricarère, the subject of this drawing, was Matisse's most important model. She is particularly closely associated with the odalisque poses from the 1920s. Matisse was drawn to "her natural dignity, the graceful way her head sat on her neck and, above all, the fact that her body caught the light like a sculpture." She had originally trained as a dancer and this gave her the athleticism and patience necessary for Matisse's long and demanding sittings. Darricarère had also trained as a musician and was a highly accomplished performer, much like Matisse, with whom she would play duets. Caught in a moment of pause, Matisse is able to convey her deep thoughtfulness. Drawn looking down over her shoulder, this work is a gentle and sensitive insight into this fruitful relationship. Darricarère was the subject of several iconic paintings from this period of work, painted at the piano in Matisse's Nice apartment. Many of these works are among Matisse's most revered, and include, Piano Player and Still Life, 1924 at Kunstmuseum Bern, Pianist and Checker Players, 1924 at National Gallery, Washington are two examples of several important works of this scene.