Pablo Picasso Tête de femme 1931, Musée Picasso, Paris; Grand Nu au fauteuil rouge 1929, Musée Picasso, Paris; Les Femmes d'Alger 1955, Gift of Wilbur D May 1964, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; La Lecture 1932, Musée Picasso, Paris; Mandoline, compotier, bras de plâtre 1925, Bequest of Florene M Schoenborn, 1995, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; L’atelier 1955, Presented by Gustav and Elly Kahnweiler 1974, accessioned 1994, Tate; Buste de femme (Dora Maar) 1941, Private international collection; Buste d’homme (L’Athlète) 1909, Museu de Arte de São Paulo Assis, Chateaubriand. All © Succession Picasso/Copyright Agency. Henri Matisse Nu couché II 1927, Bequest of Florene M Schoenborn, 1995, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Odalisque assis 1926 Gift of Adele R Levy Fund Inc, 1962, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Odalisque couchée 1926, Bequest of Miss Adelaide Milton de Groot (1876-1967), 1967, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Le torse de plâtre, bouquet de fleurs 1919, Purchased 1958, Museu de arte de São Paulo Assis, Chateaubriand; Nature morte aux oranges 1912, Musée Picasso, Paris; Femme par une fenêtre c 1920-22, Gift of Ferdinand Howald, Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus; L’Enlèvement d’Europe 1929, Purchased 1980, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra; Liseuse à l’ombrelle 1921, Presented by the Contemporary Art Society 1938, Tate, London; Les Plumes blanche 1919, The William Hood Dunwoody Fund, Minneapolis Institute of Art; Nu assis, bras sur la tête 1904, cast c 1930, The Cone Collection, formed by Dr Claribel Cone and Miss Etta Cone of Baltimore, Maryland, Baltimore Museum of Art, Photo by Mitro Hood. All © Succession H Matisse/Copyright Agency.

Matisse & Picasso

NOW CLOSED

Matisse & Picasso is the first exhibition in Australia to tell the story of the artistic relationship between two of Europe’s greatest twentieth-century artists.

Henri Matisse (1869–1954) and Pablo Picasso (1881–1973) met in 1906 and for more than half a century followed each other’s creative developments and achievements. The sustained rivalry between them was not only key to their individual success, it also changed the course of 20th century Western European art.

This exhibition brings together masterpieces from collections across the world and includes paintings that will be on display in Australia for the first time.

Featuring more than 60 paintings and sculptures drawn from prestigious public and private collections internationally and in Australia, the exhibition also includes examples of the Gallery’s rich holdings of drawings, prints, illustrated books and costumes by Matisse and Picasso. Together, they reveal how and why these two giants of modern art mined each other’s work in order to enhance their own.

We recognise the artist’s extraordinary contribution to modern art and we also understand Picasso is without question a polarising figure. We believe that now, more than ever, it is important to learn from history and see art as a catalyst for reflection, conversation and cultural change around issues of gender and equality in our society.

Left banner image: Pablo Picasso L'Arlésienne: Lee Miller 1937 Private international collection © Succession Picasso/Copyright Agency. Right banner image: Henri Matisse Plaster figure, bouquet of flowers [Le Torse de plâtre, bouquet de fleurs] 1919 Purchase, 1958 Museu de Arte de Sao Paulo Assis Chateaubriand © Succession H. Matisse/Copyright Agency