Seated Nude

1922–29, cast 1951 · Sculpture

Can I see it?

Not on view at present

Where is “Seated Nude” now? Collection: Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago. Not on view at present. Checked September 29, 2026.

Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago, United States

It belongs to the collection, but is not on display at present.

Checked: 10 days ago
In this state since: Sep 28, 2026
Source: The museum

On the map Museum page

About the sculpture

While Henri Matisse is perhaps best known as a painter, his simultaneous work in other media—drawing, printmaking, and especially sculpting—was rooted in his earliest artistic experiences and training. In fact, more than half of Matisse’s total output of sculpture (over eighty works) dates to between 1900 and 1909. His three-dimensional pieces reveal a deep interest in the human figure, and in particular the female nude, as well as ancient and Old Master works of art.

Read on

Although Matisse’s sculptural production declined after World War I, the works he made while living in Nice continue his earlier interests and relate to his new paintings of odalisques. Seated Nude was inspired by Michelangelo’s Night, a copy of which Matisse studied at the École des Arts Décoratifs in Nice. The artist worked on the sculpture for almost a decade and extended his exploration of the figure’s pose in numerous drawings and lithographs, at least three paintings, and another sculpture. Over time he slowly increased the size of the figure, making it one of the largest freestanding sculptures in his oeuvre. With its dynamic, cantilevered pose, sharply faceted limbs, and monumental scale, Seated Nude is a study in contrasts, of repose, vitality, and even tension.

Art Institute of ChicagoCC BY 4.0

Details

Accession number: 1958.16

What it shows

Nude Females Reclining

In the catalog

Sculpture Bronze Modernism 20th century France

Sources

Art Institute of Chicago
Image: Art Institute of Chicago — © the artist or rights holder

In the life of Henri Matisse

The whole life

1930
Tahiti and the Barnes Commission
Matisse travelled to Tahiti, where he worked on versions of decorative panels for the Barnes Foundation. In September 1930, on his way back, he visited Albert Barnes in Merion near Philadelphia and accepted the commission for the triptych "The Dance II."
July 1939
Divorce from Amélie
Amélie, suspecting her husband of an affair with his secretary Lydia Delectorskaya, ended their 41-year marriage; the property was divided equally. Delectorskaya remained working with Matisse until the end of his life.
1941
Cancer and a Difficult Operation
Matisse was diagnosed with duodenal cancer; the operation was successful, but complications nearly cost him his life. Three months confined to bed led to the birth of a new technique — compositions of cut paper.
1943–1949 · Residence
villa Le Rêve
1944
Wife and Daughter Arrested by the Gestapo
Matisse's wife and daughter were arrested by the Gestapo for their involvement in Resistance activities.
1947
Meeting Pierre Couturier
Matisse met the Dominican priest Pierre Couturier; their conversations gave rise to the idea of a chapel for the convent at Vence. In early December 1947 the artist drew up the plan of work.