The Art of Pattern: Henri Matisse and Japanese Woodcut Artists

Henri Matisse, Seated Odalisque, Left Knee Bent, Ornamental Background and Checkerboard, 1928, The Baltimore Museum of Art: The Cone Collection, formed by Dr. Claribel Cone and Miss Etta Cone of Baltimore, Maryland. BMA 1950.255 ©Succession H. Matisse, Paris/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.
Kikugawa Eizan, The Courtesan Oyodo of the Tsuruya Brothel; Tiger Hour (Tora No Koku), 4 to 6 a.m., 1812 or later, The Baltimore Museum of Art: Straton Family Fund. 2008.11

This exhibition pairs Henri Matisse’s compositions with those of 19th-century Japanese woodcut artists to explore the global appeal of color and pattern across space and time. The Art of Pattern: Henri Matisse and Japanese Woodcut Artists features several paintings and prints by Matisse from the 1920s, with posed models and heavily patterned interior backgrounds, reflecting the artist’s interest in layering his works from this period with decorative items from around the world. He incorporated prints and patterns into his compositions to create and define spaces, constructing a theatrical setting for his subjects to inhabit.

In contrast to Matisse, Japanese woodcut artists working in the 19th century depicted their female subjects more often in public spaces clothed in layers of ornately decorated robes. Prints by some of Japan’s most popular woodcut artists—Kikugawa Eizan, Keisai Eisen, and Utagawa Kunisada—show glamorized courtesans and entertainers frequently depicted as though on parade. The exhibition also features a vibrant sash supplementing those shown in the prints.

Throughout his career, Henri Matisse (1869–1954) was fascinated with patterns and decoration. His work of the 1920s often featured European models posing in his studio as odalisques, or harem women, in costumes and surrounded by colorful, patterned textiles mostly drawn from the Islamic world. In compositions like Seated Odalisque, Left Knee Bent, Ornamental Background and Checkerboard (1928) and Seated Odalisque in Tulle Skirt (1924), his focus was frequently split between creating the make-believe setting and conveying the sensuality of the objectified female figures in an interior space—both popular subjects made by European artists for a predominately male audience.

Distinctly, Japanese artists like Kikugawa Eizan (1787–1867), Keisai Eisen (1790–1848), and Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) (1786–1865) presented many of their female subjects in public spaces, wearing layered robes embellished with recognizable, symbolic decorative patterns and motifs. Colorful woodcuts, such as Eisen’s Mt. Fuji from Izu Province and The Courtesan Kisegawa of the Owariya Brothel (early 1830s), featured courtesans or geishas who embodied an idealized concept of femininity and beauty. Other examples include Eizan’s The Courtesan Oyodo of the Tsuruya Brothel; Tiger Hour (Tora No Koku), 4 to 6 a.m. (1812 or later) and Kunisada’s Geisha Standing beside the Entrance of the Umewaka Restaurant (late 1820s). These prints—widely circulated in Japan— advertised businesses and products, influenced fashion, decorated homes, and promoted the illusion of a world of unencumbered pleasure, amusement, and diversion. The exhibition also features an ornately patterned obi or kimono sash.