Autograph by Henri Matisse

An autograph

Henri Matisse is a famous French artist and leader of the Fauvist movement. He is known throughout the world primarily as a great researcher of color and a reformer of painting. An entire epoch in the history of European art is associated with his name.

One of the first people to appreciate the talent of the French master was the Russian collector Sergei Ivanovich Shchukin. He invited Henri Matisse to Russia. In the autumn of 1911, the artist visited Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Matisse spoke about Russia with admiration, especially inspired by the touching simplicity of the icons. In 1909, Shchukin ordered two canvases for his mansion, "Music" and "Dance", which are now kept in the Hermitage. Matisse completed these works in 1910, exhibiting the works at the Autumn Salon. No critic except Guillaume Apollinaire recognized Matisse's works as a success. Shchukin was alerted by the words of the critic and decided to refuse to take the paintings, but two days later he sent Matisse a telegram acknowledging his weakness and asking him to send the works.