Pont Saint-Michel
Henri MATISSE
(French, 1869-1954)
Pont Saint-Michel
Dateca. 1901
Mediumoil on canvas
Dimensionsoverall: 23 3/4 x 28 3/4 in. (60.3 x 73 cm)
frame: 31 3/8 x 36 x 1 1/2 in. (79.7 x 91.4 x 3.8 cm)
ClassificationPAINTINGS
Credit LineSBMA, Bequest of Wright S. Ludington
Object number1993.1.5
Subject(s)
- river
- architecture
- boat
Collection
- 20th century French
- European
Sub-Collection(s)
- French
On View
Not on viewLabel TextA bold, nearly-entirely abstract composition from the dawn of the 20th century, Matisse’s view of the famous bridge in Paris reduces the complex elements of this urban scene into simplified blocks and lines defined by solid colors, all set off by the dramatic abstract form of a window casing on the painting’s left. Matisse never abandoned recognizable subject matter in his art up to his death in 1954, but with compositions such as these he pushed the idea of abstraction into new areas of possibility for future generations of 20th century artists (American artist Richard Diebenkorn among them).
