Who painted Still Life with Blue Tablecloth?

Still Life with Blue Tablecloth was painted by Henri Matisse in 1909-01-01.

Where can I see Still Life with Blue Tablecloth?

Still Life with Blue Tablecloth is held by Hermitage Museum.

What movement is Still Life with Blue Tablecloth?

Still Life with Blue Tablecloth is associated with Fauvism.

Still Life with Blue Tablecloth by Henri Matisse (1909)

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The painting shows a domestic interior arranged around a blue tablecloth, featuring a compote bowl, toile de Jouy fabric, fruit, a carafe and a chocolatier, which together evoke everyday French material culture. These objects carry symbolic associations with consumption, leisure and colonial trade, reflecting the decorative and narrative concerns of Matisse’s still‑life genre. The work belongs to the Fauvist movement and was created in France in 1909, later entering the collection of Sergei Shchukin before being acquired by the Hermitage Museum.

Technique & Style

The painting remained in the collection of Sergei Shchukin before entering the holdings of the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg.

Executed in 1909, this work is an oil painting on canvas measuring 88.5 by 116 cm. The composition reflects the Fauvist movement through its depiction of a compote bowl, fruit, a carafe, and a chocolatier arranged against a patterned toile de Jouy cloth.

The painting remained in the collection of Sergei Shchukin before entering the holdings of the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg. Its condition allowed for international travel, notably featuring in the 2010 exhibition "Matisse to Malevich: Pioneers of Modern Art from the Hermitage" held in Amsterdam.

History & Provenance

Henri Matisse created Still Life with Blue Tablecloth in France in 1909. The painting entered the collection of Russian textile magnate Sergei Shchukin, who commissioned it. After Shchukin's death, the work was acquired by the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, where it remains on public view.

The Hermitage has exhibited the piece, including in the 2010 exhibition Matisse to Malevich: Pioneers of Modern Art in Amsterdam.

Still Life with Blue Tablecloth is an oil-on-canvas painting measuring 88.5 cm by 116 cm.

Still Life with Blue Tablecloth is held in the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg. The painting was formerly owned by Sergei Shchukin. It was exhibited in the exhibition Matisse tot Malevich; Pioniers van de moderne kunst uit de Hermitage, held at the Hermitage in Amsterdam from March 6 to September 17, 2010.

Context

Created in 1909, Still Life with Blue Tablecloth stands as a significant example of Henri Matisse's work within the Fauvist movement. The painting, executed in oil on canvas, reflects the artist's exploration of color and composition during this pivotal period in early modern art. It was originally owned by the prominent collector Sergei Shchukin, linking the work to the influential Russian patronage that supported avant-garde French artists.

The piece has been featured in major exhibitions, including the 2010 show Matisse to Malevich: Pioneers of Modern Art at the Hermitage in Amsterdam, which highlighted its historical importance alongside other early modernist masterpieces. Currently held by the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, the work continues to serve as a key reference for scholars studying Matisse's development of still life imagery.

Overview

Henri Matisse completed Still Life with Blue Tablecloth in 1909, employing oil on canvas to explore the still‑life genre through a Fauvist lens. The work is part of the State Hermitage Museum’s collection and exemplifies the artist’s interest in bold chromatic experiments during the early twentieth century.

Still Life with Aubergines, Henri Matisse

Artist & collection

Artist

Henri Matisse

Henri Émile Benoît Matisse (French:; 31 December 1869 – 3 November 1954) was a French visual artist, known for both his use of colour and his fluid and original draughtsmanship.