Henri Matisse

Acquired directly from the estate of the artist and thence by descent

Paris, Galerie Jacques Dubourg, Henri Matisse: Aquarelles, dessins, 1962, no. 12
Baltimore, Baltimore Museum of Art; San Francisco, California Palace of the Legion of Honor & Chicago, The Art Institute of Chicago, Matisse as a Draughtsman, 1971, no. 5, illustrated in the catalogue
Marseille, Musée Cantini, Quelque chose de plus que la couleur: le dessin fauve, 1900-1908, 2002, no. 157
Cateau-Cambrésis, Musée départemental Matisse & Céret, Musée départemental d'art moderne, Matisse-Derain, Collioure 1905, un été fauve, 2005-06, no. 58, illustrated in color in the catalogue

The work is in excellent condition. The sheet is laid down to a supporting paper laid down to card. The pigments are bright and fresh. Minor instances of foxing in the lower quadrant and extreme upper left corner.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
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Between 1905 and 1914, Matisse spent most summers and one winter in the small fishing village of Collioure on the Mediterranean coast. Matisse said about his time in Collioure: "Working before a soul-stirring landscape, all I thought of was making my colors sing, without paying any heed to rules and regulations" (quoted in Pierre Schneider, Matisse, London, 1984, p. 203). It was here that Matisse, along with Derain and Vlaminck, would abandon the Neo-Impressionism he had practiced with Paul Signac and embark on his boldest artistic experiments. He found endless inspiration in the seascape right outside his window. What was called the “port” in Collioure was actually Voramar beach, and Derain and Matisse would enjoy the spectacle of the fishermen hauling boats ashore, chanting in unison to make the work easier.

Le Port, Collioure, Les filets qui sèchent was painted in 1905, the same year Louis Vauxcelles would deride the outrageously colorful canvases of Vlaminck, Matisse and Braque on display at the Salon d'Automne as the rantings of "wild beasts." By this time, Matisse had liberated his colors from the strictures of Divisionism and was flooding his works with bold hues and broad brushstrokes. In this depiction, he combines yellows, blues and reds in swaths of pure color, so as to create an emotional impact rather than just a pictorial one.