Domino Players (Les Joueuses de dominos)

Discussion

FROM THE BARNES FOUNDATION’S CATALOG

Painted during Matisse's fourth sojourn in Nice, this scene captures an easy afternoon of games, with the artist's daughter, Marguerite, on the left and occasional model Henriette Darricarrère to the right. Although the female model is omniscient during Matisse's Nice period, it was not until 1921 that he began to include more than one in his compositions. Here, each figure absorbs herself in the game and appears oblivious to the presence of the painter. Their quiet focus is matched by the uncharacteristically restrained floral patterns on the hotel's sheer window curtains and Marguerite's blue blouse.

Source ↗