Henri Matisse
The Music Lesson, Two Women Seated on a Divan
1920
Physical Qualities
Oil on canvas, Unframed: 21 5/8 × 25 13/16 × 3/4 in. (54.9 × 65.6 × 1.9 cm.)
Framed: 27 1/16 × 31 7/16 × 3 1/2 in. (68.7 × 79.9 × 8.9 cm.)
Credit Line
The Cone Collection, formed by Dr. Claribel Cone and Miss Etta Cone of Baltimore, Maryland
Object Number
1950.242
Music was a lifelong love for Matisse, and he briefly considered pursuing a career as a musician. After taking violin lessons in his youth, he continued to play the instrument, practicing two hours a day into his mature years. He often included musical themes in his paintings. Etta Cone was herself an accomplished amateur musician, and she bought a number of images with musical motifs throughout her collecting career.
The Baltimore Museum of Art by bequest, 1949; Etta Cone, Baltimore, by bequest; Claribel Cone, Baltimore, by purchase, 1926; Paul Vallotton, Lausanne
Adelyn D. Breeskin, The Baltimore Museum of Art, "Cone Collection of Modern Paintings and Sculpture", April 1, 1930-December 1, 1930, no. 21. (Exhibited as "The Musicians").
Adelyn D. Breeskin, The Baltimore Museum of Art, "Musical Instruments and Their Portrayal in Art", April 26, 1946-June 2, 1946, no. 72. (Exhibited as "The Music Lesson")
Gertrude Rosenthal, The Baltimore Museum of Art, "Selections from the Cone Collection", October 7, 1949-December 31, 1949, no. 44. (Exhibited as "The Music Lesson")
The Baltimore Museum of Art, "The Cone Collection", circulated to The Woman's College of the University of North Carolina, Greensboro,October 28, 1958-November 24, 1958.
Jane Harrison Cone, The Baltimore Museum of Art, "Cone Collection from The Baltimore Museum of Art", circulated to Wildenstein and Company, New York, March 29, 1974-May 4, 1974, no. 25. (Exhibited as "The Music Lesson")
Brenda Richardson, The Baltimore Museum of Art, "Matisse in the Collection of The Baltimore Museum of Art", circulated to The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, August 24, 1979-October 14, 1979.
Brain Trust Inc., Isetan Museum of Art, Tokyo, "Matisse and Modern Masters from the Cone Collection of The Baltimore Museum of Art", October 3, 1996-December 28, 1996, no. 15; circulated to the Osaka Municipal Museum of Art, January 8, 1997-February 11, 1997.
The Baltimore Museum of Art, "Matisse from The Baltimore Museum of Art", circulated to The Denver Art Museum, March 11, 2000-June 25, 2000; Birmingham Museum of Art, July 23, 2000-September 17, 2000; The Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, October 10, 2000-January 28, 2001.
"Collecting Matisse and the Modern Masters: The Cone Sisters", The Jewish Museum May 11, 2011-September 25, 2011, circulating to The Vancouver Art Gallery, May 11, 2011-September 25, 2011, The Nasher Museum of Art November 1, 2012-February 10, 2012.
Musée d'Art Moderne, Paris, "Matisse and Marguerite", April 4, 2025 - August 24, 2025.
Adelyn D. Breeskin, The Baltimore Museum of Art, "Musical Instruments and Their Portrayal in Art", April 26, 1946-June 2, 1946, no. 72. (Exhibited as "The Music Lesson")
Gertrude Rosenthal, The Baltimore Museum of Art, "Selections from the Cone Collection", October 7, 1949-December 31, 1949, no. 44. (Exhibited as "The Music Lesson")
The Baltimore Museum of Art, "The Cone Collection", circulated to The Woman's College of the University of North Carolina, Greensboro,October 28, 1958-November 24, 1958.
Jane Harrison Cone, The Baltimore Museum of Art, "Cone Collection from The Baltimore Museum of Art", circulated to Wildenstein and Company, New York, March 29, 1974-May 4, 1974, no. 25. (Exhibited as "The Music Lesson")
Brenda Richardson, The Baltimore Museum of Art, "Matisse in the Collection of The Baltimore Museum of Art", circulated to The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, August 24, 1979-October 14, 1979.
Brain Trust Inc., Isetan Museum of Art, Tokyo, "Matisse and Modern Masters from the Cone Collection of The Baltimore Museum of Art", October 3, 1996-December 28, 1996, no. 15; circulated to the Osaka Municipal Museum of Art, January 8, 1997-February 11, 1997.
The Baltimore Museum of Art, "Matisse from The Baltimore Museum of Art", circulated to The Denver Art Museum, March 11, 2000-June 25, 2000; Birmingham Museum of Art, July 23, 2000-September 17, 2000; The Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, October 10, 2000-January 28, 2001.
"Collecting Matisse and the Modern Masters: The Cone Sisters", The Jewish Museum May 11, 2011-September 25, 2011, circulating to The Vancouver Art Gallery, May 11, 2011-September 25, 2011, The Nasher Museum of Art November 1, 2012-February 10, 2012.
Musée d'Art Moderne, Paris, "Matisse and Marguerite", April 4, 2025 - August 24, 2025.
Elie Faure, Jules Romains, Charles Vildrac and Leon Werth, "Henri-Matisse," Paris: G. Crès et Cie, 1923, no. 13, ill. (Published as "La Leçon de Musique")
The Baltimore Museum of Art, "Cone Collection of Modern Paintings and Sculpture," Baltimore: The Baltimore Museum of Art, 1930, p.5, no. 21. (Published as "The Musicians")
Etta Cone, "The Cone Collection of Baltimore-Maryland," Baltimore: Etta Cone, 1934, p. 24, pl. 44, ill. (Published as "La Leçon de Musique")
Roger Fry, "Henri-Matisse," Paris: Éditions des Chroniques du Jour, 1935, no. 38, ill. (Published as "La Leçon de Musique")
Adelyn D. Breeskin, "Musical Instruments and Their Portrayal in Art," Baltimore: The Baltimore Museum of Art, 1946, p. 21, no. 72. (Published as "The Music Lesson")
George Boas, Adelyn D. Breeskin, and J.G. D'Arcy Paul, "Selections from the Cone Collection," "News of The Baltimore Museum of Art," October 1949, vol. 13, no. 1, p. 16. (Published as "The Music Lesson")
Doris Brian, "The Baltimore Museum's Cone Collection: A Pointed Star," "The Art Digest," January 15, 1950, vol. 24, no. 8, p. 21.
Alfred H. Barr, Jr., "Matisse: His Art and His Public," New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 1951, p. 557. (Published as "The Music Lesson")
Clive Bell, "Modern French Painting: The Cone Collection," Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins Press, 1951, p. 21. (Published as "The Music Lesson")
The Baltimore Museum of Art, "Cone Collection: A Handbook with a Catalogue of Paintings and Sculpture," Baltimore: The Baltimore Museum of Art, 1955, p. 34, no. 57. (Published as "The Music Lesson")
Barbara Pollack, "The Collectors: Dr. Claribel and Miss Etta Cone," Indianapolis: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, Inc., 1962, p. 146. (Published as "The Music Lesson")
George Boas, Adelyn Breeskin, and Gertrude Rosenthal, "Paintings, Sculpture, and Drawings in the Cone Collection," Baltimore: The Baltimore Museum of Art, 1967, cat. no. 54, p. 67. (Published as "The Music Lesson")
Massimo Carrà and Mario Luzi, "L'opera di Matisse dalla rivolta 'fauve' all'intimismo 1904-1928," Milan: Rizzoli 1971, pp. 101, 113, 114, no. 373, ill. (Published as "Lezione di Musica")
The Baltimore Museum of Art, "Cone Collection from The Baltimore Museum of Art: A Benefit Exhibition at Wildenstein," Baltimore: The Baltimore Museum of Art, 1974, no. 25. (Published as "The Music Lesson")
Pierre Schneider, Massimo Carrà and Xavier Deryng, "Tout l'Oeuvre Peint de Matisse 1904-1928," Paris: Flammarion, 1982, pp. 101, 114, no. 373, ill. (Published as "Les Musiciennes")
Brenda Richardson, "Dr. Claribel & Miss Etta: The Cone Collection of The Baltimore Museum of Art," Baltimore: The Baltimore Museum of Art, 1985, pp. 176, 197.
Jacqueline and Maurice Guillaud, "Matisse: Le Rythme et la Ligne," Paris: Guillaud Editions, 1987, pp. 188, 645, no. 180, ill. (Published as "Les Musiciennes")
Guy Ducrey and Marina Ducrey, "La Galerie Paul Vallotton Dupuis 1913," Lausanne: Galerie Paul Vallotton SA, 1988, pp. 57, 67, 76, pp. 57, 67, ill. (Published as "La Leçon de Musique")
Guy-Patrice and Michel Dauberville, "Henri Matisse Chez Bernheim-Jeune, vols. 1-2" Paris: Éditions Bernheim-Jeune, 1995, pp. 999, 1439, no. 467, ill. (Published as La leçon de musique")
Nobuyuki Senzoku and Akira Tomita, "Matisse and Modern Masters from the Cone Collection of The Baltimore Museum of Art," Tokyo: Brain Trust Inc., 1996, pp. 62-63, 158; no. 15, ill.
Charles Darwent, "Double Vision," "The Independent," June 17, 2001, p. 20. (Published as "The Music Lesson")
Jack Flam, "Matisse in the Cone Collection: The Poetics of Vision," Baltimore: The Baltimore Museum of Art, 2001, pp. 62-63, pl. 24, ill.
Fillion, Susan. Miss Etta and Dr. Claribel: Bringing Matisse to America. Boston: David R. Godine, 2011, page 48.
Monod-Fontaine, Isabelle. Matisse, la figura: la forza della linea, l'emozione del colore. Ferrara: Ferrara Arte, [2014], page 78, fig. 47 (published as “La lezione di musica. Due donne sul divano”).
Monod-Fontaine, Isabelle. Matisse et Marguerite: le regard d'un père. Paris: Paris-Musées, 2025, page 157, cat. no. 89.
Inscribed: Recto: Lower right in black paint, "Henri-Matisse" Verso: Bottom of the central support, 2 wine colored stamps, "TABLEAUX MODERNES/Paul VALLOTTON/7, rue Grand Che/LAUSANNE (Suisse)" Middle of central support in pink pencil, "22603" Top of central support in black ink, "N°22603/Henri-Matisse/la lecon de musique/RE000" Top of central support in black ink, "#2" Top of central support, black circular stamp, "ZOLL/II-30/+" Frame Inscriptions Verso: Upper right in black grease pencil, "70" Upper right in black grease pencil, "175" These inscriptions are typically covered by the frame build up.
