Artwork
The Three O'Clock Sitting
The Three O'Clock Sitting is an oil painting by Henri Matisse. It dates from 1924 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The Three O'Clock Sitting depicts an interior scene in Matisse's Nice studio in which his model Henriette Darricarrère is herself shown painting a female nude.
The Three O'Clock Sitting depicts an interior scene in Matisse's Nice studio in which his model Henriette Darricarrère is herself shown painting a female nude. The composition stages a layered act of looking and representation: a professional model has become a painter, producing a painting within the painting. Darricarrère is identified as the central figure, and the canvas she works on carries a nude woman, while a mirror is also among the depicted elements.
The work belongs to Matisse's genre painting tradition, treating a moment from everyday studio life as its subject. Its meaning centers on the inversion of the usual artist-model relationship, presenting the model as an active creator rather than a passive sitter.
Technique & Style
Created in early 1924 in Nice, The Three O'Clock Sitting is an oil painting executed on canvas. The work measures 92.1 cm in height and 73 cm in width. Stylistically, it functions as a genre scene depicting the interior of Henri Matisse's studio.
The composition features the model Henriette Darricarrère engaged in the act of painting a female nude, incorporating a mirror within the setting. This formal arrangement explores the relationship between the artist, the model, and the act of representation itself. The painting was exhibited at the Salon d'Automne in 1925 before entering the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York via a donation in 2008.
History & Provenance
The Three O'Clock Sitting was painted by Henri Matisse in early 1924 in his studio in Nice, in the Alpes-Maritimes region of France. The work, an oil on canvas measuring 92.1 by 73 centimetres, depicts the painter's model Henriette Darricarrère occupied with painting a female nude within the atelier. Following its completion, the painting was exhibited at the Salon d'Automne in Paris in 1925.
It subsequently entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where it has been held since 2008 through a donation. The sources do not detail an earlier ownership chain or a specific commissioning party prior to the Salon d'Automne showing and the eventual gift to the museum.
Overview
Henri Matisse's 1924 oil painting, The Three O'Clock Sitting, captures a studio scene featuring his model Henriette Darricarrère. This genre work, now part of The Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection, exemplifies the artist's ongoing exploration of interior spaces and the creative process. It presents a vibrant domestic setting, rich with color and texture, characteristic of his work from this period.
Context
As a prominent French artist of the early 20th century, Henri Matisse was a leading figure in modern art, celebrated for his innovative use of color and fluid draftsmanship. While known for his diverse output across painting, sculpture, and printmaking, works like The Three O'Clock Sitting highlight his persistent interest in intimate domestic scenes and the interplay between artist, model, and the creative environment.
Artist & collection
Artist
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.
