REMI LABRUSSE

Matisse's second visit to London and his collaboration with the ' Russes'*

AT the beginning of September 1919 Serge Diaghilev and Igor Stravinskypaid a visit to Matisse at his home in Issy- les-Moulineaux,outside Paris, that was to prove of critical importance, not only to the painter's employment during the succeedingthree months but also to the directionsubse- quently taken by his work. The two Russianshad come in orderto proposeto Matissethat he re-designthe sets and cos- tumes for Le Chantdu Rossignol,a work that Diaghilev had alreadystaged in 1914 in an operaticversion by Igor Stravin- skywith sets by AlexandreBenois. The idea was to presenta new productionat the ParisOpera, set to a purelyorchestral scoreby Stravinskyand with choreographyby L6onideMas- sine. The scale of the challenge to Matisse cannot be over- stressed:hitherto almost entirely an easel painter,he was now being offeredhis firstlarge decorativecommission. Its inter- national context, its large budget and the 's close links with developmentsin contemporaryart, all con- tributedto the significanceof the project. 1. MatthewStewart Prichard, After some hesitation(typical of his prudent approachto by . 1914. • criticalmoments in his career)Matisse decided to accept the Etching,20 by 15 cm. (Privatecollection). challenge:as he told PierreCourthion many yearslater: 'J'ai ditnon, mollement. Et ils sontpartisme laissant bien attendri. L'idie ne mequitta plus. Alors, la premihrefois que Diaghilev me parla du , Massinewere also installed,and spent most of his time in the j'acceptaien me promettant den'en faire qu'un seul."' workshopsof the Empire Theatre, LeicesterSquare, where On 13th September Matisse signed a first contract with the Ballets Russes had establishedthemselves for the 1919 Diaghilev:he was to receiveten thousandfrancs for the d6cor season(29th September to 20th December).This did not pre- and costume designs, which were to be executed in Paris vent him, however,from revisitingthe museums,if only to and sent to London to be made up.2In the end, however,it gain inspirationfor the work in hand: a few days after his seemed essentialfor Matisse himself to come to London to arrival,he wrote to his wife that he was going to the Victoria work with the rest of the team, who had been in residence and AlbertMuseum, 'unemerveille, d'art chinois, persan, et indien'.5 there since 1918. Having received an extra two thousand He also took the opportunityto look up Matthew Prichard francs for this purpose, Matisse travelled to London and (Fig.1), the Bergsonian philosopher and Byzantinist with spentabout three weeks there, between 12thOctober and the whom he had become friendsin Parisin 1909-14, as well as first few days of November.3London was the city where he one of Prichard'sdisciples, William King, for whom he had had spent his honeymoon inJanuary 1898, his firsttrip out- designed a book plate in 1913.6 Inevitably,the weatherwas side France, at a period of great poverty and uncertainty.4 foggy and cold and Matissehad constantlyto wear his over- Twentyyears later his circumstanceshad changed dramati- coat, while commenting to his wife that it was considered cally: he stayed at the Savoy Hotel, where Diaghilev and elegant in London not to do so.7

*I should like to thank the followingfor helping to make this articlepossible: Bar- noces,etj'avais comme but de voir les Turner,dont Pissarro m'avaitpare. C'itait au moisdejan- bara and Claude Duthuit, Wanda de Guebriant,Richard Shone, Hilary Spurling vier.J'allais dans les musees quand ilfaisait suffisamment clair' (Bavardages, cited at note 1 and Sir Stephen Tumim. Unless stated to the contrary,all the quotations from above). Matisse'sletters, or from letters to Matisse, are from the ArchivesMatisse, Paris. 5Letterdated 'Friday'[17th October 1919]. The next day he wrote again of having Reproductions are, ? Succession H. Matisse/D.A.C.S. London 'Les Heritiers spent the whole day there,seeing 'desmerveilles comme tapis de toutes sortes, cloisonnes, cos- Matisse'.The articlewas translatedby CarolineBeamish. tumes,tapis etfaiences' (letter dated 'Saturday'[18th October 1919]).Visits to 'differ- 1H. MATISSE,with P. COURTHION:Bavardages, unpublished typescript, 1942, withcor- ent museums' are mentioned in passing by the set-painterVladimir Polunin (v. rectionsin Matisse'sown hand (ArchivesMatisse, Paris). Diaghilev and Stravinsky's POLUNIN:The Continental Method of Scene Painting, London [1927] p.61). visit was followed,just before rehearsalsbegan, by one from Massine to Matissein 6Letterdated 'Saturday'[18th October 1918]. On MatthewPrichard see P. SCHNEI- Nice (L. My Lifein Ballet,London [1986], p.147). DER:Matisse, Paris [1986] pp.360 and 733-34, and A.H.BARR, JR.: Matisse. His Art and MASSlNE: 2Thecontract is in the ArchivesMatisse, Paris. hisPublic, New York[1951] p.105; see also D. sox: BachelorsofArt. Edward Perry War- 3Thesedates can be inferredfrom the correspondencebetween the painter and his renand the Lewes House Brotherhood, London [1991], and W.M.WHITEHILL: 'Some Cor- wife. The chronology is not absolutely clear, however, because his letters (the respondence of Matthew Stewart Prichardand Isabella Gardner',Fenway Court, envelopeshave not survived)are dated only with the day of the week. RICHARDSHONE Boston [1974], pp.14-29. Prichard,having spent the fouryears of the war in a pris- ('Matissein Englandand two Englishsitters', THE BURLINGTON MAGAZINE, CXXXV oner-of-warcamp in Germany,was now workingfor the GovernmentCommittee on Prisonersin the House of Lords. became a in [July1993], p.480, note 8) suggeststhat the artistarrived in London on about 11th William King specialist English October.On 5th Novemberthe artisthad just returnedto Paris(see note 10 below). porcelainat the Victoriaand AlbertMuseum in the 1920s. The datesproposed in this articleare based on the contextualinformation given by 7Seeletter of 18th October, cited above: 'Londres,qui est toujours plus ou moinsdans le Matissein his letters,and on a few verifiabledates. brouillard,n'est pas chaud.Aussije mets constamment mon gros pardessus. Mais il estdilgant de 4'Monpremier voyage en Angleterre a iti en 1898, quandjeme suis mari. J'8tais en voyagede nepas nemettre - telPrichard et Mr.King, quej'ai vus hier.' 588

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2. The Chamberlain'scostume, made by Marie Muelle in the atelierof Paul Poiret after designsby Henri Matisse.Embroidered satinised cotton, with motifspainted in ink and gouache. (IsraelMuseum,Jerusalem).

During this first stay in London Matissedesigned the cos- tumes and a model for the sets to be enlargedby the scene- painter Vladimir Polunin. He began the model on Tuesday 14th October and finished it the following Thursday.8The next week he workedon the costume designs and corrected the colour distortionsthat had in while the set 3. Studyfor the Chamberlain'scostume, by Henri Matisse. 1919. Pencil,pen and crept maquet- ink with water-colour,27 by 21 cm. (Privatecollection). te was being enlarged.'By Wednesday5th Novemberhe had returnedto Parisand drafteda new contractwith Diaghilev in which he agreed to return to London to paint the stage the large designs directlyonto the fabric (Figs.3and 2);"'he curtain on condition that he be paid a thousand francsper also designed all the accessories(Figs.4, 5 and 6), including week for the trip.'0He does not seem to have returned to the carvedwooden pieces ofjewellery,made large enough to London until 13th November," making a sketch of the cur- be visible to the audience and to contributeto the all-over tain design three days later.'2He then transposedthe sketch effect, and the make-up 'inspired by traditional Chinese to full size, while supervisingthe makingof the costumesand masks';"6finally, he designedand painted the curtain. accessories.'"On 26th or 27th Novemberhe left permanent- Before describing the ups and downs of this project, ly, first returningto Parisand then moving on to Nice. This we should briefly examine what we know of its results.Of was the end of his collaborationwith the Diaghilevcompany, the sets themselves there remain only a few photographs apart from a trip he made from Nice to Paris at the end of (Fig.9), some contemporaryaccounts and Matisse'sletters January 1920 to put the final touchesto the costumesin Paul and sketches.The over-ridingcolour was a turquoise-blue Poiret'sworkshop, before the ballet opened at the Opera on (Figs.13, 15 and 26), mentionedin a letterfrom the painterto 2nd February.14 his wife: 'L'ensembleest bleuturquoise, quatre colonnes dont les bases In the final event Matisse did far more than his original sontblanches, plafond blanc, tapis noir'." Contemporary critics contract had stipulated:he not only designed the costumes described'vast panels of a magnificentblue-green, combin- but took part personallyin making them, painting some of ing with the colours of the costumes- pink, emeraldgreen,

8'J'aicommencd la maquette.J'espfre que fa ira' (letter dated 'Tuesday' [14th October etjeretourneraiprobablement mercredi oujeudi' (letter dated Friday [21st November 1919], 1919]). 'EnJinfay est,le dicorest termini (la maquette)et accepti(enchantms ils sont). Il nereste the last survivingletter written by Matissefrom London). plus qu'ale peindre en grand etfaire les costumes, maisje crois que le principal estfait et quej'en 4Matissedoes not seem to have returnedto London inJanuary 1920, pacej. cow- sortiraiproprement... Ily a cependantafaire un lit-estrade et 7 costumes,une botte a rossignolj'ai ART,in HenriMatisse. The Early Years in Nice,1916-1930, exh. cat., National Gallery, fait le trone.'(letter dated 'Friday'[24th October 1919]). Washington[1986], p.25, and J. ELDERFIELD:Henri Matisse. A Retrospective,exh. cat., "'Jeme suis mis hier soir aux costumes' (Letter dated 'Saturday'[25th October 1919]; 'Je Museum of Modern Art, New York[1992] p.292. voudraisbien avoirfini maisje ne comptepas avantdeux semaines' (Letter dated 'Monday' '5Seev. BARSKY:Matisse at theBallet: Le Chantdu Rossignol, exh. cat., IsraelMuseum, [27th October 1919]). Jerusalem[1991], p.XII and note 26, p.XVI and note 32. It seems that a numberof "'ArchivesMatisse, Paris. The contractis quotedin full in c. GOERG:'Un manteaude other hands were involved in the painting. The artist closely supervisedthe last Matissepour "LeChant du Rossignol"',Musies de Geneve, no.264 [April 1986], p.10. stages of the stitching of the costumes in the workshopof the wardrobemistress "See SHONE,loc. cit. at note 3 above, p.479, note 7, and p.480, note 8, quoting a Marie Muelle. letter from Vanessa Bell to Roger Fry indicating that Matisse was present at the '6Seec. FAVELIN: 'Matissedecorateur de theatre.Essai de reconstitutiond'une con- opening night of Parade:Massine, Picasso, Satie and Cocteau's production was ception scenographique',Revue d'histoire des arts. L'Ecrit voir, II [1988], p.58. Accord- premieredon Friday14th November at the EmpireTheatre. For his letterto his wife ing to Lydia Sokolova,however, who danced the part of Death, her make-upwas the next day see note 44 below. devisedand appliedby Massine (L.SOKOLOVA: Dancingfor Diaghilev, London [1960], 2See note 21 below. pp. 146-47). 13'Ilse peut que demain samedi le rideausoitfini. Alors ily auraencore quelques accessoires a voir '7Letterdated 'Monday'[27th October 1919]. 589

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~'I 'iii-, : i ?i. IcT:~ I 4. Studyfor a lantern,by Henri Matisse. 1919. Pencil, 5. Studyfor the ,by Henri Matisse. 1919. Pen 6. Sketchfor jewellery, by Henri Matisse. 1919. 28 by 22 cm. (Privatecollection). and ink, 14.5 by 11.5 cm. (Privatecollection). Pencil on squaredpaper, 22 by 17 cm. (Private collection).

7. Study for the front curtain,by Henri Matisse. 1919. Pencil,48 by 31.5 cm. 8. Three masks,study for the centralsection of the frontcurtain, by Henri (Privatecollection). Matisse. 1919. Pencil, 10.2 by 15.7 cm. (Privatecollection).

9. Final scene of Le Chantdu Rossignol, as performedin the Theatre de l'Opera, Paris,in the Springof 1920. Photograph.(Private collection). 590

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,,i 11. Costume of a mourner,made by Marie Muelle in the atelierof Paul Poiret after designsby Henri Matisse. 1919. Felt and velvet, 160 by 168 cm. (Mus6ed'art et d'histoire,Geneve).

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10. Courtesan'scostume, by Henri Matisse. 1919. Pencil,pen and ink with water- colour,27 by 21 cm. (Privatecollection).

i <• .. A? yellow, white and blue - to look very Chinese'." The sets themselves were essentially non-representational,'as stark and simpleas Benois'sdesigns for "Le Rossignol",the opera, .. . . had been extravagantand fussy',another critic approvingly ,: >. remarked.'9The front curtain, on the other hand, of which I " . < several sketches survive (Figs.7 and 8), bore two brightly- colouredfigures of Chinese griffinson either side of a central - / motif of three intertwined masks, outlined in black. With hindsight, one can see a structuralsimilarity between this enormous coloured surface with its three stylised faces, drawn in outline, and a gouache cut-out such as the Grande 12. Studyfor the costumeand accessoriesof Death, by Henri Matisse. 1919. Pencil, 21 by 13.5 cm. (Privatecollection). d&corationaux masques - termed by Matisse in 1952 his 'mas- terpiece'.20He wrote to his wife on 18thNovember 1919: costumes were organised around the static presence of the Mes griffonsont au moins3 m. de haut,quoiqu'assis. Ils ontla Emperor,who reclined throughout,dressed in black, on a criniereverte, la poitrine rouge comme la largebordure, le corps jaune bed-thronein the centreof the stage(Figs. 13 and 14).Around ocre.Le rectangleau milieuest blanc et lesmasques sont en dessinds him moved a shifting population of mandarins, warriors noir.J'en aifait une esquisse de 3m. queje rapporterai [i.e .21 a Paris] (Fig.16), mourners (Fig.11) and lamp-bearers,as well as the This contrast between flat areas of plain colour and black personificationsof Death (Fig.12) and (Fig.5). designscan be found in Coptic fabrics,of which the Victoria At the momentwhen the Emperorwas miraculouslyrestored and AlbertMuseum possessedone of the finest collectionsin to life by the nightingale'ssong, the bed suddenlyrose up to Europe. a verticalposition and an enormousbright red trainprinted A numberof the costumeshave been preserved(Figs.2, 11 with a golden dragon unrolledto fill the central area of the and 17),and a set of preparatorydrawings also survives.The stage (Fig.9).22

18H.PRUNIERES: La Revue critique [10th March 1920], quotedin FAVELIN,0lo. Cit.at note DER in Matisse.Visages decouverts. 1945-1954, Paris [1996], pp.48-50. The compari- 16 above, p.58. Pruniare'stext was publishedin Englishin TheChesterian, IX, Lon- son between the Rossignolcurtain and the Grandedicoration aux masquesis made by don, [September1920], pp.271-74 (selectivelyquoted by BARSKY,op. cit. at note 15 BARSKY,op. cit. at note 15 above,p.XII. above, p. X). Massine seems to have been mistakenin statingthat the background "'Letterfrom Matisse to his wife, dated 'Tuesday' [18th November 1919]. These colour of the set was white (MAssINE, op.cit. at note 1 above,p. 147). were the colours of the preliminarysketch: for the curtainitself, Matisse jettisoned '95 BERNIER, in Comoediaillustri [15th February 1920], quotedin FAVELIN, loc.cit. at the yellow (see below). note 16 above,pp.58-60. 22MAssNE,op. cit. at note 1 above,p.147; see also SOKOLOVA,op.cit. at note 16 above, 20SeeMatisse's letter to his son Pierreof 12th November 1952, quoted by P. scHNEI- p.148. 591

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14. Studyfor the Emperor,by Henri Matisse. 1919. Pencil, 27.6 by 21.7 cm. (Privatecollection). 13. Studyfor the Emperor'sthrone, by Henri Matisse. 1919. Pencil,pen and ink with water-colour,24.5 by 18 cm. (Privatecollection).

16. Studyfor a Warrior,by Henri Matisse. 1919. Pencil, 22 by 17 cm. (Private collection).

15. Studyfor the dragon on the centralmedallion of the back stage curtain(see Fig.9),by Henri Matisse. 1919. Pencil,pen and ink with water-colouron two sheets of stuckdown cardboard,27 by 25.5 cm. (Privatecollection).

592

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17. Costume of a Mandarin,made by Marie Muelle at the atelierof Paul Poiretafter designsby 18. Studyfor the costume of a mourner,by Henri Matisse. Henri Matisse.Satinised cotton decoratedwith gilded circlesand floralpatterns painted in ink. Brushand ink, 27 by 21 cm. (Privatecollection). (IsraelMuseum, Jerusalem).

The costumesas a whole revealtwo very differentstylistic strands:the firsthas an anecdotal,orientalising flavour, exem- plified by the emperor'slarge dragon motif (Fig.14), by the warriors,with theirexotic patternedarmour (Fig. 16),2" by the necklaceof skullsworn by Death, based on traditionaldepic- tions of the goddessKali with her necklaceof human heads,"4 and by the 'Chinese' griffinson the curtain;the second is abstractand formal,as seen in the stylisedgarb of the mourn- ers, based on the strong contrast between the white back- groundand the sprinklingof Prussianblue geometricshapes (Figs.11 and 18); and in the mandarins' robes, on which startlinglyfree floral patterns had been painted by Matisse himself(Fig. 17).25 This polarityis repeatedin the contrastbetween the pure- ly abstractscenery and the back curtain,with another dra- gon motif (Fig.15) as well as the front curtainwith its griffins and masks.It correspondsto two differentmodes of reference to the East:one is and linkedto the ballet'ssub- iconographic 19. Study for a tree ject; the other is formal, analogous to the way in which (stageprop), by Matisse'spaintings transformed the lessonshe had absorbed Henri Matisse. 1919. fromoriental art. When the to his wife that Pencil, 22 by 17 cm. painterexplained (Privatecollection). he was off to see the marvelsof 'Chinese,Persian and Indian art' at the Victoria and Albert Museum, the adjectiveswere not chosen at random: Chinese influences (see Figs.22-25)

23Accordingto MASSINEthese costumes were inspiredby a Chinese suit of armour they had seen together in the Mus6e Guimet that autumn (Figs.22and 23); ibid., p. 147, and see also R. BUCKLE:Diaghilev, London [1984], p.360. See also Figs.24 and 25. 24SOKOLOVAdescribes her costume thus: 'I wore scarlet all-overtights, with a very uncomfortablebrass waistcoat, suggesting the ribs of a skeleton.On my head was a blackwig and a very painfulhead-dress of brasssupporting a china ball on which a skullwas painted. Round my neck hung a necklaceofpapier-mdch' skulls.' (op. cit. at note 16 above,p. 146). 25Thecostumes of the mournerswere made of white felt printedwith chevronsand trianglesin midnight blue; the emperor was dressed in red velvet decoratedwith gold dragons.They were all made in the workshopsof Paul Poiret(see B. KOCHNO: Diaghilevet lesBallets Russes, Paris [1973], pp. 142-43). A male 'mourner'costume is in the Musee d'Artet d'Histoire,Geneva, donatedbyJan and Marie-AnneKrugier (Fig.11; see GOERG,op. cit. at note 10 above, pp.7-11). Other costumes are in the 20. Fragmentof ceramicmosaic, coveredwith turquoise-blueand manganese- IsraelMuseum, Jerusalem (Figs.2 and 17; see BARSKY,op. cit.at note 15 above,p.xx) purple enamels.From a mosque in Konia, Asia Minor.Turkish, 13th century.25.4 and in the National Galleryof Australia,Canberra. by 16.5 cm. (Victoria& AlbertMuseum, London). 593

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21. Study for a warriorfor the Opera LeRossignol, by 22. Warrior,copy aftera Chinese sculpturein the Musde 23. Thecelestial king (loka pala). Central Asia, AlexandreBenois. 1914. Pencil,pen and ink with water- Guimet, by Henri Matisse. 1919. Pencil, 22 by 17 cm. eighth century.Polychromed wood with colour.(Ashmolean Museum, Oxford). (Privatecollection). gilded arms, 99 by 75 by 32.2 cm. (Musee Guimet, Paris). pervadethe whole conceptof LeChant du Rossignol, with its set- 'renunciationin perfectharmony with the musiche is design- ting at the ChineseEmperor's court. Indian influences can be ing for', othersreacting strongly to the 'far-Easternquality of found in Matisse'ssketches for the artificialtrees that were the work'and its 'typicallyChinese harmonies'.28 originallyto be part of the scenery(Fig. 19); and in the image There are, however,more fundamentalaspects to these of Death/Kali, which inspired not only some anecdotal uncertaintiesand contradictions,and by followingthe trou- sketchesderived from Indian sculpture, but also some curious bled evolution of the project some answers will become variationson the theme of sex and death (Fig.12), extremely apparent. unusual in Matisse's work and much closer to Georges Initially, the prospect of working for Diaghilev filled Bataille'sobsessional writings on the subjectten years later.21 Matisse with excitement. Since the first productionsof the And it is temptingto see reminiscencesof Persianand Seljuk Ballets Russesin Parisin 1910, he had admiredtheir explo- pottery(Fig.20) in Matisse'scolours, particularly in the juxta- sivecolour, even if he felt that it was insufficientlystructured.29 position of turquoisewith the great expanse of Prussianblue Here was an opportunityto workwith a team with whom he floor. was in aestheticsympathy, to projecthis personalideas about The overallsolution, however, was rathertentative, com- decorationon a largethree-dimensional scale and to impose bining some rather conventionalelements with others that on stage design the same formal rigourhe aimed for in his are astonishinglyfree and original. As Corine Flavelin has paintings. Matisse wrote revealingly to his wife that he suggested,this may be partly due to the contradictorychar- intended to handle the decor 'like one of his paintings':this acter of the pre-existing designs for Le Chantdu Rossignol: was in perfect conformity with his aesthetic principles, Benois's extravagantlyoriental decor for the 1914 operatic accordingto which artisticquality had nothingto do with any version (Fig.21),on the one hand, directly descended from hierarchybetween fine and appliedart, but dependedon the Bakst's brilliant designs for Schiherazade,,and artist'swork being adequateto its purpose. He wrote of his EgyptianNights; and, on the otherhand, the Futuristdesigns of hopes to equal the successof Derain and Picasso,and of the FortunatoDepero, who had been approachedby Diaghilev appreciativekindness of Diaghilev and Massine: in 1916-17 for a first, unrealised project for the ballet. Matisse seems to have opted for a middle course, a 'deliber- Me voilaen plein travail. Je croisque le balletsera bien. Aussi bien, ate simplicity'of overall effect, in which a 'rigorousplacing j'espire,que celui de Derain qui est tout afait bienet obtientun trWs of the colours' prevails, while echoes of pastiche grossucces qui se reproduirasurement a Paris. Celui de Picasso, quoi orientalism remain in the accessories and costumes.27Con- [que]plus raffin, est moins bien itabli, beaucoup moins rdussi pour temporary criticism reflects this ambiguity, some critics l'ensemble. emphasising Matisse's break with Benois's orientalism, a Je suisd mamaquette queje conduis lentement comme un de mes

26G. BATAILLE: 'Dictionnairecritique: Kali', Documents,VI [1930], p.368: 'Kdlzest la 28BERNIERand PRUNIERES,cited at notes 18 and 19 above.R.C. HANSEN (Scenic andCos- dkessede l'pouvante, de la destruction,dela nuitet duchaos. Elle estla patronnedu cholira, des tumeDesignfor the Ballets Russes, Ann Arbor [1985], p.122) linksthe 'simplificationin cimetidres,des voleurs et desprostitutes. Elle est reprisentieornie d'un collier de titeshumaines line and colour' in Matisse'swork with the 'new classicism'characteristic of the coupees,sa ceintureestfaite d'une fange d'avant-brashumains.' BalletsRusses between 1919 and 1923. 27FAVELIN, loc.cit. at note 16 above,pp.52-54. see alsoJ.H.NEFF: Matisse Paper Cut-Outs, 29Seehis remarksto Gaston Diehl, 1945, in H. MATISSE:Ecrits etpropos sur l'art, Paris exh. cat., Saint Louis and Detroit [1977], pp.84-85. [1986], pp.200 and 205. 594

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tableaux.Diaghilev et Massine sont trWs gentils pour moi etparaissent m'estimerbeaucoup et itretouchis par la consciencequej'apporte a montravail. " Yet, in spite of these moments of relativeeuphoria, Matisse's dominant emotions while working on Le Chantdu Rossignol were distress,anger and dissatisfaction- so extreme that he would be left with a lasting feeling of failure."' Most of the time he could find no wordsstrong enough to expresshis state of mind, which was dominatedfirst by fear,then by irritation at his inabilityto impose his views effectivelyon the team. On his first day in London, he described himself as 'dpouvanti', unableto understandwhy he had acceptedthe commission." The short, staccato sentences of the letters he wrote almost daily to his wife speakfor themselves: J'ai lesfoies,depuis queje suis arrivi. Hier,je me souvenais d'un itat semblable.C'itait en arrivantau Maroc,oui il pleuvaitdepuis un mois.Nous nous y trouvionscomme perdus. Je suis ainsi. Toutle mondeest gentil pour moi, et attend beaucoup de moi. J'ai lafrousse. Aussitdtque le dicorsera dicidi - dansquelquesjours -je seraid vous.En attendant,jen'ai pas tropde tite pour me sortir du pitrin oii je suis.Sije n'avaispas pris l'habitude de l'effort,jefilerais del'hotel S'l'anglaise.Maisje veuxen sortirautrement, enjurant quejamais plusjene recommencerai. C'est ce queje dis tous lesjours a Diaghilev, a 3 heures,quand conseil [sic] a l'atelierdes dicors pour dicider du tondu dicor." Matisse'sanxieties had many causes.Above all there was the need to measureup to some very powerfulrivals. Picasso was firston the list, not so much for his most recentdesigns for the Ballets Russes,Le Tricorne,as for his great succesde scandale of 24. Lion, copied aftera Chinese sculpturein the Mus6e Guimet, Paris,by Henri the immediatepost-war period, Parade,which was being per- Matisse. 1919. Pencil, 27.6 by 21.7 cm. (Privatecollection). formed in London for the firsttime duringMatisse's stay. He wrote of it with a hostilitythat stemmeddirectly from his own distress: Je voisici lesBallets. Ils sontvoues la mortcar lefond est digozt- ant,et lescubistes, Picasso et Derain, n'auront rienfait pour lefaire durer,au contraire. Le succes de Parade, qui n'taitpas tris franc car il y avaitbeaucoup de claqueamicale, commence a baisser.Les Anglaisne protestent pas maisne disentrien et ne viennentpas. La salleest moins remplie a chaquenouvelle seance." But there was something more serious at stake than latent rivalriesbetween the stars of the Parisianavant-garde. For Matissethis large taskwas a test of his fundamentalaesthetic principles based on the notion of decoration. Was he capable of producing a multifaceted ensemble - scenery, costumes, accessories - which would retain the pictorial intensity of great art? Was teamwork compatible with the realisation of a coherent and artistically honest piece of work? Could the overall quality of an image, based on an equilibrium between coloured surfaces, be achieved when the painted surfaces

"Letter to his wife, dated 'Friday' [17th October 1919]. Derain's designs were for La Boutiquefantasque (music by Rossini and choreography by Massine), premiered in London on 5thJune 1919. Picasso's designs for Le Tricorne(music by Manuel de Falla, choreography by Massine), premiered on 1 lthJuly 1919 in London, had very clas- sical sets and costumes, in complete contrast to Parade(premiered Paris, May 1917), staged for the first time in London on 14th November 1919. "•Inhis memoirs, Vladimir Polunin mentions 'alternating periods of depression and exultation' (POLUNIN, op. cit. at note 5 above, p.61). In Matisse's correspondence depression seems by far the dominant mood. '2'Mevoild a Londresdepuis bientdt 24 heures,etj'en suis ipouvanti... .Qu'est-ce quej'aifait en acceptantces dicors?J'ai un cafardnoir' (Letter to his wife dated 'Monday' [13th Octo- ber 1919]). ""Letterto his wife dated 'Wednesday' [15th October 1919]. 25. The Salles de la Chine et duJapon in the Musee Guimet before 1924, showing "Letter to his wife dated 'Friday' [21st November 1919]. two Chinese lion statues.Photograph. (Mus&e Guimet, Paris). 595

This content downloaded from 81.130.200.251 on Thu, 29 Aug 2013 07:46:09 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions MATISSE AND THE BALLETS RUSSES were so vast, the overall effect complicated by interaction with moving costumes?The painterwas directlyand urgent- ly confronted by all these questions. He did not have the freedom he had had in 1909-10 when devising the large decorativepaintings, La Danse and LaMusique for the staircase in Sergei Shchukin'spalace in Moscow: this time he had to discuss each stage with Diaghilev and Massine, who met every day to inspect the progressof the designs;and he had to adapt his pace of workto the hectic rhythmof the team: J'ai commencemajournee a 9 heuresetje la terminea minuit.Cette nuit,a 1 h.4. Hier soir, on a essaye'unfragment de dicor au thedtre pour la couleurd'ensemble. Cequifaisait bien dans ma maquettefait mal au thidtre.Alors on a passejusqu'dI h. Adu matina en causer.Vous n'avezpas uneidie de ce que c'est que les ballets russes. On ny rigole pas dutout. C'est une administration oz'tout le mondene pense qu'd sontravail. Je neme seraisjamais dout6 de cela."5 One of the fundamentalproblems was the definitionof the overallchromatic effect. Matisse chose the colours while he was workingon his smallmaquette of 50 cm. wide, which he called his 'petitthedtre' - and in daylight.Probably for the first time in his life, he used a 'cut out' technique, cutting the shapes of his design in sheets of paper already painted in gouache, and then pasted (Fig.26).But the balance of the colourswas alteredby the transferto full-sizedsets in artifi- cial light, as he observeslater in the same letter:'Ce quifait bien lejourfaitmal la nuitet reciproquement'. The solutionwas to install electriclight in the model theatre.36 Anotherdifficulty was the interactionbetween the scenery and the costumes:Matisse was paintingin dominanthues of turquoiseblue against a black floor; once the turquoisehad gone up on the walls, however, the black floor took on a 26. Study for the backwall in Chantde Rossignol, by Henri Matisse. 1919. Penciland noticeably red tinge, while the painter was determined to gouache on paper,cut-out and pasted, 16.3 by 13.9 cm. (Privatecollection). reserve red for the Emperor'strain unfurlingon the stage duringthe last scene. This led him to change the floor colour from black to Prussian blue, which produced the same paralysisthroughout the ballet,and to a frontalitythat blurred impression but with no secondary red effect."7 any three-dimensionalcharacter he might have, reinforcing A more general problem was posed by the intrinsically his functionas part of the design.Matisse later acknowledged mobile characterof costumes:Matisse had to reconcilea pic- the sympathetichelp he had received from Massine,39who torial structurecomposed 'commeun tableauimmobile' - blocks himself wrote enthusiasticallyof the collaboration in his of fixed colour generating an internal dynamic - with the memoirs: scenic fromthe movementsof the the fluidityarising dancers, Matisse had it coloured elements of their costumes to and fro designed [the magnificentvermilion lining moving of the as an of to the ratherthan Emperor'smantle] integralpart the spec- according choreographer'srequirements, tacle. In this formalisedOriental in which I tried the painter's.38 fantasy, to imitatethe tiny,restrained movements which I had seen Once again the solution to the problem was not entirely on Chinese paintingson silk and on lacqueredscreens, I satisfactory. Instead of taking this aspect of stage design fully workedclosely with Matisseto createa fusionof costumes, into account, Matisse simply tried to reduce its impact. He decor and choreography,and I found this ballet one of my insisted on a series of motionless tableaux, particularly most successfulefforts at collaborationwith a designer.40 around the character of the Emperor who was as much an element of the scenery as of the choreography. Massine Nevertheless,the result seems to have lacked the multi- agreed to condemn the figure of the Emperor to semi- directionaldynamism to be expected from a choreographed

35Lettersto his wife dated 'Wednesday'[15th October 1919], and 'Tuesday'[28th unetoile,je vous icrirai dans ma prochaine lettre sous quelleforme il lafaut. Demandez toujours ta October 1919], the latter complainingof delays because the man dealing with the Desjardin.Si onn'en a pas,je seraitrks ennuye car, dans mon ensemble, le noirfaitrouge. Etj'ai costumierwas ill. besoin[de] menager ce [rouge]pour le costumede l'empereur'; letter to his wife dated 'Mon- 36'J'avaismime mis une petite lampe dlectrique dans le hautde ma petite maquette, defafon de ne day' [27th October 1919]. GOERG(op. cit. at note 10 above,p.9), and BARSKY(op. cit. pas avoirimprivu' (Bavardages, quoted in SCHNEIDER,op.cit. at note 20 above,p.624). See at note 15 above,p.x and note 22) both mention this point. also the letter to his wife dated 'Saturday'[18th October 1919]: 'Jevais en ce moment 38'Unpeintre confoit un dicor comme un tableau immobile. Iplace uneteinte a unpoint donne parce travailleret assistera la posede l'letricitJdans ma maquette'.The decision to work on a qu'ellejoued'unefafon voulue avec les teintes voisines. Etpuis le choreographea vitefait de boule- maquettewas stronglycriticised by Polunin,and attributedby him to Matisse'slack versertout cela' (interview with L'EclaireurdeNice et du Sud-Est, on the subjectof the bal- of experiencein the theatre(POLUNIN, op.cit. at note 5 above,p.61). let RougeetNoir, 11 th May 1939, quoted in FAVELIN,op. cit. at note 15 above,p.55). 37Prussianblue requiredaniline which was unobtainablein London, and Matisse 39'J'aitN trs aidipar le choriographe,Massine, qui a trWsbien compris mon idde' (Bavardages, had to ask his wife to send him some from Paris:' Or, il ny ena pas ungrain ici. Ne pour- cited at note 1 above). riez-vouspasdemander a Desardin s'il neconnaft pas unchimiste quipourrait dire ou?, a Paris, on 40MASSINE,op. cit. at note 1 above,pp. 147-48. peutrouver de livre d'aniline bleu de Prusse. Je pensequ'elle doit itre en poudre, c'est pour peindre 596

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27. Three masks,study for the centralmedallion of the front curtain,by Henri Matisse. 1919. Brushand ink on two squaredsheets, pasted together,121 by 47 cm. (Privatecollection). work, one which Matisse had been able to capture in his faits avecun balletdicord par Matisse et qu'ilavait montri l'impor- paintingLa Danse of 1910. As Raymond Cogniatwas later to tancede mon nom etc., etc.: qu'il allait me demander 500, 000 E de observe, the ballet gave a somewhat static impression,pre- dommages-intirts.J'ai ri etjelui ai dit:'Et vous me payez 10, 000 senting a series of tableauxvivants to the detrimentof any real pourcela. C'est honteux'. Il m'adit: 'C'est impossible de me ldcher. choreography.41According to Boris Kochno, Diaghilev him- Qu'est-ce qu'ily a quine va pas?'. I m'adonne un crayon, du papi- self attributedthe final failureof Le Chantdu Rossignol to Mas- er,et nous avonsfait le rideauensemble, etme voild reparti.46 sine's 'hermetic choreography'.42 So Matissestarted work on the innumerable Matisse returnedto Parisin a state of dissatisfaction curtain,making deep in his sketchbooksand on various sheets of after his first and it was with reluctancethat he drawings paper visit, great and In this contextthe of to return to London in mid-Novemberto undertake (Figs.27 28). question choreography agreed and movement did not but the of scale and the curtain If he continued all the it was arise, problems design. against odds, remained.He decided to workto a scale than out of and social the lighting larger professionalism necessity: comparison the model he had used for the sets- this time a sketch with Derain and Picassowas now and to abandon making inevitable, three metreswide. He reducedthe of coloursin order the at this would be a seriousmark range project stage againsthim;43 to limit distortionto a and resolvedto the but this did not alter his convictionthat all this was 'wasted minimum, paint real curtain with The effort time'. He this to his wife beforehe had even started himself, Polunin'sassistance.47 repeated was and he was all too aware that the idea of a on the curtain: exhausting, restrictedcolour range, in his opinion the only possiblesolu- Me revoilddonc d Londres.Mais bienindicis. Je mesuis trouve' hier tion, would not please Diaghilev. matindevant mon dicor, absolument ethier soir, j'tais tout indiffirent, Je viensde rentrer de l'atelier 8 h. de travaildebout ou dfait dicidia ldcher... Je ne voispas beaucouple moyende m'en bienfatigud. courbeen deux, plut6t. Le rideauest pres d'tre fini. Je n'aipas suivi sortir,de ce decor. Bien sincerement,jeferais mieux de ldcher. Le temps l'esquissepour les couleurs.Je crainsque Diaghilev le trouveinsuf- perduest perdu. Mais, pour l'argent, je l'auraivite rattrape. Je sais fisant.Il esttrWs bien il ne doitpasy avoirautant de quece queje vous dis va vousennuyer, mais [d] qui que dessind.Mais voulez-vous couleursque Diaghilev en desire. C'est un homme qui ne sent rien, et j'en parle?44 il a desidies preconfues. II veut de l'or, il veutfaireriche, avec de l'or. The followingday he resolvedto tell Diaghilevthat he was Ilfaut quefa soitBallet russe. II a peurqu'on dise a Parisqu'il n'a quittingthe project,45but he had reckonedwithout the direc- plus le sou. Il m'a mimeentrepris hier longuement a ce sujet.I tor's negotiating skills.At the right psychologicalmoment, voudraitcommencer la saison par le Rossignolparce que fa serariche. Diaghilevneatly switched the situationto his own advantage, Le balletde Picasso estpauvre, celui de Derain est vulgaire (il nel'a using a well-judgedmixture of threatsand blandishments: pas dit commefa) et le miensera riche. Je supposequ'il changera d'avisquand il verrace rideau car il ny apas autantde rouge qu'il le Diaghilevm'a aidi si bienqu'il vay avoirun rideau qui me degozlte. voudraitetje crois qu'il ny aurapas dejaune.Ily auraprobablement Je lui ai quejene pouvais plus rien faire - dimanche,comme diclard blanc,noir, vert et rouge.48 je l'avaisicrit. Il m'adit que c'-tait une perte enorme pour lui et qu'il pouvaitme demander des dommages-intirits, queles contrats gtaient Although the work was finally accomplished,Matisse's sec-

41R. COGNIAT: 'Henri Matisse et le theatre',Le Point, XXXI [July 1939], p.46. FAVELIN 44Letterto his wife dated 'Saturday'[15th November 1919]. Matissedid in fact con- (loc. cit. at note 16 above, p.54) quotes a contemporary reference to the groupings fide in Prichard,as he sayslater in the same letter and, for a second visit to him, see as forming a 'blocavec le dicor',and SOKOLOVA(op. cit. at note 16 above, p.147) re- letter dated 'Friday'[21st November 1919]. members the men in 'flat friezes, their bodies . . . packed tight and knitted close 45Letterto his wife dated 'Sundaymidday' [16thNovember 1919]:'II est entendu qu'en- together',suggesting 'the grotesquecombinations of figureson carvedivory boxes'. suite[after lunch], nousallons voir mon dkcor. C'est ld queje vaisfaire mondddaration a 42KOCHNO,op. cit. at note 25 above, p. 138. Diaghilevreproached Massine for having Diaghilev. .. Je penseque vous approuverez mafafon d'en terminer avec cette affaire qui empoi- 'adoptdleprincipe d'imposer a la danseun rythme independant decelui de la musique',conveying sonnemon exzstence.' the impressionthat the dancerswere simplyunder-rehearsed. 46Letterto his wife dated 'Monday' [17th November 1919]. 43Conscious competition between Matisse and Derain and Picasso is cited in this 47POLUNIN,op. cit. at note 5 above, p.62. context by BARR,op. cit. at note 6 above, p. 197. Picasso's stage curtain had been one 48Letterto his wife dated 'Friday'[21st November 1919]. of the most controversial elements in Parade. 597

This content downloaded from 81.130.200.251 on Thu, 29 Aug 2013 07:46:09 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions MATISSE AND THE BALLETS RUSSES ond stay in London did nothing to alter his view: he could see been laid under an interdict by his unhappy experience in no satisfactoryoutcome to his ordeal and felt that the experi- London. ence was a failure,which he attributedto the Ballets'lack of Nine yearslater, in 1928, when the fearlessDiaghilev invit- professionalconscience: 'Ily a unmanque de sincirit dans tout cela ed him to repeat the experience with a newly-designed etils sonttellement sans conscience qu'ils (les auteurs) ne s'en aperfoivent revivalof Schihdrazade,the ballet that had launchedthe Ballets mimepas', he remarkedlater in the same letter - a heavy RussesinJune 1910, Matisserefused at once, on the grounds reproachindeed, when we considerhow importantthe con- that it would 'preventhim from concentratingon his paint- cepts of sincerityand criticalconscience had alwaysbeen for ing'.57The impresario did all he could to promote the him.49This unhappyepisode culminatedin the final fiasco of 'Matissian'orientalism of the project, describingit in such a the productionitself, which was a failureboth in 1920,50and way as to suggest a ready-madevehicle for one of his odal- when re-choreographedby Balanchinein 1925.51 isques. In his and Matissecast in the anger distress, Diaghilev r61e ce est veux of to the Commenfonspar Scheherazade, qui pluspresse carje scapegoat, attributingresponsibilities impresario la donner a ce les which were his own. Given his acute critical fin decembreLondres, quifaitquej'ai besoin d'avoir partly sensibili- versle ler ... I doncde Matissemust have been awareof the limits he had esquisses novembre s'agit l'esquissedu dicor ty, himself commevous le unharem estcouvert de reached- all the more so while he was on his quirepresente, savez, persan.Il since, working avoirune donnantdans an exhibition of his recent was held at riches6toffes, ilpeuty fentre lejardin(mais sets, paintings being Trois avecdes en the LeicesterGalleries in Leicester close to the pas obligatoirement). portes,peut-4tre grilles or,sont Square,very destrois de ... Toutle Theatre. His shown indispensablespour l'entrie groupes nigres Empire paintings, alongsidesculpture by tableau richesse decouleurs et de met with commercial and critical suc- d'une iclatante iclaire prefirencepar Maillol, resounding la lumihre ne lescouleurs des a 'consolation'for his torments that Matissementions blanche,pour pas diranger costumes... cess,52 vous a heureux avec in his His bitterness about the Ballets Je nepuispas exprimerquelpointje suis deparler repeatedly letters.53 vousde cette et devotre collaboration au Russes was increased the fact that neither nor question combienjeserai ravi by Diaghilev balletrusse. vousaimons desannies et nousnous con- Massine seemed in the least interestedin the and Nous depuis exhibition, au desadmirateurs vous dans a week after the still had not been to see siddrons premierrang russes,que avez opening it.54 unnombre The Chantdu Rossignolepisode may have played a crucial illimitd.58 r1le in directing Matisse towards that 'true painting' for In spite of these blandishments,Matisse did not vacillatefor which he was alreadylonging at the beginning of 1918 - the an instant. reverse,in his mind, of the grand decorativeschemes (with It was not until after the successof his large La Danse,exe- their utopian aspects) of his pre-war period.55While his cuted for Barnes between 1931 and 1933, that Matisse re- theatrical misadventure must have dealt a great blow to considered the possibility of doing more designing for the Matisse'spride, he had happy memoriesof the successof the stage,"9with encouragementfrom Massine, who had visited small paintings done in 1918-19, and it was these that he the artist in his studio and had been impressedby the simi- now began to develop, shedding the experimental aspects larityof the workin progressto the 'vastmural in motion' he they had possessed at the outset. Henceforth he was to con- himself was planning.60A few years later, in 1937, Matisse centrate on paintings of modest size, producing them in startedworking on his new project, Rougeet Noir, later called abundance,56and thereby distancing himself from some of L'EtrangeFarandole, choreographed by Massine to a score the ambitionshe had entertainedin the 1910s, as if these had based on Shostakovich'sfirst symphony.' It was for the new

49See,for example,his letter of 1898 from Brittany(Kervilah ne) to a painterfriend tioncontinue. Nouveaux achats. Directeur demande a Mme Vildracd'envoyer nouveaux tableaux. called Roux: 'Commeil ny a aujourd'huicomme de tous les lestemps que lespersonnalitis qui Articlesdans grandsjournaux trNs bons, excellents. Presque tout est vendu sauf les deux grands. Les comptent,c'est surtout a la sinciO'tiqu'ilfaut viser', and another of 1911 to his wife from 3 soeurset n[ature] m[orte] au torsefaitedenidrement. Les artistesde thidtre ont une grande consid- Moscow: 'Jevois que le naturel et la sinciriteest encore ce qu'ily a deplusdloquent' (letter dated erationpour moi. Je suis danstous lesjournaux (letter dated 'Tuesday' [18th November 'Tuesday',Russian postmark of 25th October). 1919]). See also the memoirs of a partnerin the LeicesterGalleries at the time, o. 5?SeeBUCKLE, op. cit. at note 23 above, p.362, and FAVELIN,loc. cit. at note 16 above, BROWN:Exhibition: The Memoirsof OliverBrown, London [1968], p.65. p.60. Favelin, however,quotes a number of press accounts that are favourableto 54R'I[Diaghilev] n'a pas encorete cvoirmon exposition. Massine nonplus. Commeje les intiresse, Matisse'ssets and costumes.The painter could also take comfortfrom a letter writ- c'estpourmon nom qu'ils me veulent'(letter dated 'Tuesday' [18th November 1919]). 'Ils ten to him by an old painter friend, Albert Huyot: 'Jesuis alle hier a l'Opiraetj'ai iti [Diaghilev and Massine] n'ontpas encoredte voir mon exposition qui est ouverte depuis plus absolumentemballe par les dicorspour le Chant du Rossignol.Je n'aijamaiscompris aussi d'unesemaine. Aussij'attends Diaghilev quand il va medemander defaire le portrait de Massine. clairementlapuissance expressive de la couleuren soi et dansses rapports ... J'avoueque la soirie Je voudraisbien itre dibarrassi de cescochons-ld' (letter dated 'Friday' [21st November d'hiermefait pinitrer plus pronfondiment l'esprit de tesauvres et lesaimer davantage si possible' 1919]). (letterof 3rd February1920). 55Matisse'slonging is expressedin a letter of 13thJanuary1918 to his wife fromNice: 5 See BUCKLE,op. cit. at note 23 above, p.455 and FAVELIN,loc. cit. at note 16 above, 'Jemonte la cote.Vous dire a quoif a ressemblera,jenepuis le dire, car fa n'estpasarrivd, mais mon p.60. Accordingto Alicia Markova,recorded by Buckle,Matisse made a last inter- idieest d'aller davantage vers la vraiepeinture.' vention in 1925, redesigningthe costume of the Nightingale as a simple white leo- 56JACKFLAM estimates that in 1920 Matisse painted 'not less than sixty paintings' tard, decoratedwith brilliantsand feathers.Buckle notes that the absence of a skirt (Autourd'un chef-d'oeuvre deMatisse. Les trois versions de la DanseBarnes (1930-1933), Paris was 'a startlinginnovation' for the period. Matisseused the same garmentfor all the [1993], p.24). costumesin RougeetNoir in 1939 (see below). 57KOCHNO,op. cit. at note 25 above, p.274; BUCKLE,op. cit. at note 23 above, p.516, 52Theshow (ExhibitionofPaintings by the Famous Artist Henri Matisse together with Sculptures quoting a telegram sent by Matisse to Diaghilev from Nice on 30thJanuary 1929; byMaillol) ran at the Leicester Galleriesfrom 15th November to 15th December L. GARAFOLA:Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, New Yorkand Oxford [1989], p.253. 1919. Forits success,see SHONE,loc. cit. at note 3 above pp.480-81. 58Letter from Diaghilev to Matisse, 7th September [1928]. The other, less urgent, 53'J'ai1ti voirla LeicesterGallery, oi j'ai apprisqu'avant l'ouverture on avaitvendu 4 petits projectthat Diaghilev was proposingto Matissewas the design of sets and costumes paysagesde N/ice et unefigure. J'ai itiprisenti unmonsieur qui m'a dit: "C'est moi qui ai acheti for The ProdigalSon, with music by Prokofiev. vostableaux". Nous avons cause' et il a encoreacheti devant moi un paysage de Nice et unetite de "'Ma dicisiofide neplus faire de balletfut ditruitea causede la grandedicoration queje fis, de Lorette... La rencontredece Mr. ce matin m'afaitgrandplaisir. II m'a inviti a d4jeunermardi. Il 1930 a 1933, pourla BarnesFoundation' (Bavardages, cited at note I above). esttrWs simple. J'ai crume trouver devant quelqu'un de propre . . . Le marchanda iti triscontent 60MASSI4E,op. cit. at note 1 above, pp.211-12. despeintures queje lui ai rapporti.II vales placer seulement dans une semaine pour raftaichir l'ex- 6'Theballet was premieredby the BalletsRusses de Monte-Carlo,on 11th May 1939 position'(letter dated 'Saturday'[15th November 1919]); 'Grandsucces a l'exposition. (see G. DETAILLEand G. MULYs:Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo,1911-1944, Paris [1954] Presquetout est vendu. Au moins10. Grandsuccis depresse aussi. 3000 personnesau vernissage. pp.230-33). It was then staged at the MetropolitanOpera, New York,on 6th April C'estune consolation' (letter dated 'Monday' [17th November 1919]);'Succes de l'exposi- 1940. 598

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Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo, but without Diaghilev,who had died in 1929. Drawing directly on the lessons he had learned from the Barnes La Danse,this time Matisse devised sets and costumesthat were completelyabstract: Je commen3aisdonc, selon monprincipe dupremier dicor [Le Chant du Rossignol], unemaquette a l'dchelle, dans laquellej'arrangeai lesgrands arceaux de ma dicoration de la FondationBarnes. J'avais unfond diviseen troiscouleurs: bleu, rouge, noir, derrire de grands arceauxblancs etjaunes. J'habillaimes danseurs des couleurs du dicor,avec des maillots bleus,rouges, noirs, jaunes et blancs.62 This design seems to have made up for the failureof Le Chant duRossignol not only in criticalterms - Matisseobserved with satisfactionthat the productionwas 'a complete success'6 - but aestheticallytoo. Assistedby his recentreflections on dec- oration,the painterdirectly confronted the centralproblems of his earlierballet ratherthan aroundthem. Firsthe 28. Study for the frontcurtain, by Henri Matisse. 1919. Pencil, 47 by 61 cm. circling (Privatecollection). excluded any referentialmotif; next he linked the colours of the sceneryto those of the costumes;64and lastlyhe put on the cela.Moi quin'aifait que des tableaux, pas grands ... Heureusement costumes randomly scattered flame-shaped motifs which qu'ily a lepricident du rideau de Londres (10 ou 15 m.) executJpar appeared and dissolved as the dancers moved about the terre,en allant voir dans la charpente. . .'.68 stage. Now everythingcontinually moved and changed in a It is impossiblenot to be struckby the formal similarity of colour, whose harmony, Matisse was at pains to between some of the patternson the costumesfor Le Chantdu emphasise,rested on the fact that the dancerswere dressedin Rossignol,the structureof the Barnes Danseand some of the the same coloursas the set.65 late cut-out decorations.69And Matisse'sdesire to get rid of Lookingback on the earlierepisode with PierreCourthion the red effects produced by the juxtaposition of black and in 1941, Matissewas far less negativethan he had been at the turquoiseblue in the 1920 ballet parallelshis desireto retain time. He stressedthat he had learnt, with Massine'shelp: 'ce this effect in the Vence chapel - produced this time by the quedevait etre un dicor,c'est-a-dire itre confu comme un tableau,avec juxtapositionof yellow and blue throughoutthe windows - descouleurs mouvantes qui sontles costumes'.He blotted out the while eliminatingall traces of red from the colour scheme unpleasantaspects of his firstattempt, observing that, having (hence the abandonmentof the original sketchfor the win- made a sketch for the curtain with a bit of pressurefrom dows, which became LesAbeilles).70 Diaghilev,he was very happy and did not regrethaving done In 1920 this stage was still far off. Matisse'sother periods stage designs, for 'commepour la conduited'une auto, le dicor of distress and disaster - in 1910 when he had exhibited demandede la dicision;ii obligea savoirprecisementceque l'on veut et Shchukin'sdecorations at the Salon d'Automne,in 1912 at a l'exdcuterleplus directement possible pour une date prcise'.66 the beginning of his first visit to Morocco, in 1931-33 with As Pierre Schneiderhas shown, Matisse's'theatrical con- Barnes- had alwaysresolved themselves by his takinga large quests'probably played quite an importantrole in the devel- forwardstep. Le Chantdu Rossignol, on the other hand, caused opment of his later work, particularlyin the methods he a retreat:rather than reactingwith increasedambition, the devised for his cut-out decorationswhen he was preparing artist at first swore never to become involvedin such work the BarnesLa Danse and, even more strikingly,the creationof again. Before re-surfacingmany years later,as a stimulusto a 'ceremonialplace' in the Vence chapel.67What Schneider creativeeffort, the experiencehad at firstan inhibitingeffect, describes as the 'close and intimate relationship' between the ushering in a period of withdrawal.This was a time when chapel and stage design is corroboratedby Matisse himself, Matisse'smain concern was 'a prudentapproach to life' and who recalledhis work in London when he was designingthe 'the opportunityto workaway passionatelybut unobtrusive- stained glass windows of his chapel: 'C'est unefolie etje dicide ly, in safety'."

62Bavardages,cited at note 1 above. This insistenceon the abstractnature of the stag- Journald'un creation, Paris [1993] p.129). In another interview of 15th November ing came from Matissehimself, if the heading of the interviewgiven by the painter 1948 (ibid.,p. 101), he said: 'Jenefais pas celapourfaire une gglise, je lefaiscomme un dicor to the Eclaireurde Nice et duSud-Est is to be believed:'Dans un atelier de la rueDisire Niel deth~itre. Pour le Rossignol,qui se passe en cour de Chine,j'aifaitquelque chose d'emprunt: ily &Nice, le cl~brepeintre Henri Matisse et le chorigrapheLionide Massine ont congu un ballet estentri beaucoup de souvenirs d'iglise; les gothiques itaient defameux metteurs en scene'. abstrait'(quoted by FAVELIN,loc. cit. at note 16 above,p.61). 69Theoblique black-and-white bands on the costumesof the mournersresemble the 63Letterto Simon Bussy of 1 thJuly 1939, quoted in SCHNEIDER,Op.cit. at note 20 backgroundto the Merion Danse,and NEFFremarks on 'their "cut-form"quality', above,p.626. not 'unrelatedto the latercut-outs' (op. cit. at note 27 above,p.84); the floralpatterns 64'Withan unerringsense of decorativevalues, he designedfor it an evocativeback- worn by the tree-carryingand lantern-bearingwomen (especiallythe latter)fore- ground of abstractshapes of pure colour,and createdtight-fitting costumes in the shadow the patternsin the gouache cut-outpaintings of the 1950s. Comparisonhas same coloursdecorated with blackand white curvilinearpatterns' (MASSINE, op.cit. at alreadybeen made abovebetween the generalstructure of the curtainand La Grande note 1 above,p.212). dicorationaux masques of 1953. 65Thesuccess of Rougeet Noir encouraged Matisse to carry on. SCHNEIDERindicates 70Seethe interviewwith BrotherRayssiguier of 17th February1949 in La Chapellede that on the eve of the Second WorldWar he was workingon anotherscheme, based Vence,cited at note 68 above, p. 152. As he had remarkedof Le RossZgnol,here too on mythologicalscenes, which had to be abandonedbecause of internationalevents Matissesaid he was treatingthe workat Vence 'as if it was one of my paintings'(ibid., (op.cit. at note 20 above,p.626). p.131). See also the interviewwith GotthardJedlicka(1952) in D. FOURCADE:Autres 66Bavardages,cited at note 1 above. propos de Henri Matisse',Macula, I [1976], p. 112. 67SCHNEIDER,op cit. at note 20 above, p.624. 71Letterto his daughterMarguerite of 20thJune 1926. 68Interviewwith Brother Rayssiguieron 9th January 1949 (in La Chapellede Vence. 599

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