In its costliest and most spectacular acquisition since "The Cardsharps," the Kimbell Art Museum has purchased an important painting by Henri Matisse, bought Nov. 10 at Sotheby's New York auction house for $10 million.
Titled "L'Asie (Asia)," it is a mature work depicting an exotically dressed woman. Matisse, the acknowledged 20th-century master of sensuous color and rigorous composition, is the subject of a major retrospective at New York's Museum of Modern Art. "L'Asie" is featured in the exhibition and will go on view at the Kimbell after the Matisse retrospective closes Jan. 12."We believe `L'Asie' will anchor our 20th-century collection with a major late work by the greatest French painter of our century," Kimbell director Ted Pillsbury said in a statement.
"Although there are other works by Matisse on the market, and some very important ones that may be available in coming years, few of these compare to `L'Asie' in terms of importance, coloristic richness, monumentality and fine state of preservation," Pillsbury's statement said.
The painting, dated 1946, is from the estate of fashion designer Mollie Parnis Livingston, who died last summer.
It has been years since a great work by Matisse found its way to auction, but prospective sellers have been more than encouraged by a chance to capitalize on the popular Museum of Modern Art retrospective. A total of 28 paintings, sketches and sculptures by Matisse are being offered at auction.
"L'Asie" joins the Kimbell's growing collection of choice 20th-century works, which includes another painting by Matisse, "Nude with a Green Shawl" from 1921-22.
Other 20th-century works in the collection include Picasso's "Man with a Pipe" from 1911, Piet Mondrian's "Composition No. 7 (Facade)" from 1914, Fernand Leger's "The Red Wheel - Elements Mecaniques" from 1919-20 and Georges Braque's "Girl With a Cross" from 1910-11.
Caravaggio's baroque masterpiece, "The Cardsharps," is the Kimbell's most expensive acquisition, purchased in 1987 for an estimated $14 million.