Music (La Musique)
Painting on canvas • Henri Matisse
Style & Movement
Fauvism / Modernism
Medium & Technique
Oil on canvas; characterized by flat planes of color, heavy black outlines, and visible brushwork that creates texture within monochromatic fields.
Creation Period
1910
Dimensions & Format
260 cm × 389 cm (102.4 in × 153.1 in); Large scale landscape format
Subject Description
Five red-fleshed figures are arranged against a background of green earth and blue sky. Two figures on the left are making music—one playing a violin and one a pipe—while the three on the right are seated and listening/singing. The composition uses a primitive, simplified aesthetic to explore harmony and rhythmic arrangement.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Excellent (Museum grade)
Estimated Market Value
Priceless / Cultural Asset (Estimated north of $250 million if ever sold commercially)
Auction Estimate
$200,000,000 - $300,000,000+
Provenance History
Commissioned by Sergei Shchukin in 1909 for his mansion in Moscow; seized during the Russian Revolution; now in the State Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg.
Art Historical Significance
One of Matisse's most important works, serving as a companion piece to 'The Dance'. It represents the culmination of his Fauvist period and his exploration of 'primitive' forms and pure color to express essential human experiences.
Notable Features
The figures are depicted with ambiguous gender and simplified facial features; the use of vivid vermilion, ultramarine, and veridian creates a high-contrast vibrating effect known as 'fauve' (wild beast) coloring.
Condition Issues
Stable minor craquelure typical of early 20th-century oil paintings; some evidence of previous restoration to stabilize pigment adherence in large monochromatic fields.
Conservation Recommendations
Strict climate control (50% RH, 20°C), UV-filtered lighting, and minimal physical movement due to scale.