The Baltimore Museum of Art holds one of the world’s most important collections of modern European art thanks to Baltimore sisters Claribel Cone and Etta Cone. Over nearly 50 years, they collected more than 3,000 artworks during their travels and through relationships with artists and dealers.
The collection includes over 600 works by Henri Matisse, making it one of the largest groups of his art in the world. Etta Cone met Matisse in 1906 and continued collecting his work for decades. The sisters also acquired more than 100 works by Pablo Picasso and many pieces by other modern artists.
In addition to paintings and sculptures, the Cones collected decorative objects from around the world, including furniture, jewelry, and sculpture. After Etta Cone’s death in 1949, the collection came to the Baltimore Museum of Art, where it remains a cornerstone of the Museum’s holdings.
