DISCOVERART

Henri Matisse

The Dance

Summer 1932 - April 1933
Oil on canvas; three panels
339.7 × 441.3 cm (133.7 × 173.7 in)

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● On view now — Collection Gallery, Main Room, South Wall

Barnes Foundation, Philadelphia · verified July 2026

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FROM THE BARNES FOUNDATION’S CATALOG

When Matisse traveled to the US in 1930, he made a special trip to the Barnes Foundation since the collection held so many of his works. During his visit, Albert Barnes asked the artist to create a massive painting to fill the lunettes of his gallery. Matisse chose the subject of dancing figures and set to work in a specially rented warehouse in Nice, France. The work is on three separate canvases; look carefully and you can see where their edges meet. It is the only site-specific work in the collection.

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