Henri Matisse
Large Cliff with Fish
1919
Scroll
Henri Matisse
Large Cliff with Fish
1919
Physical Qualities
Oil on canvas, Unframed: 36 1/2 × 29 × 1 1/8 in. (92.7 × 73.7 × 2.9 cm.)
Framed: 45 7/8 × 38 1/8 × 3 1/2 in. (116.5 × 96.8 × 8.9 cm.)
Credit Line
The Cone Collection, formed by Dr. Claribel Cone and Miss Etta Cone of Baltimore, Maryland
Object Number
1950.233
In 1920, Matisse traveled to Étretat, a cliffside fishing village in Normandy set on a short stretch of beach that looks across the Channel to England. The landscape there features three natural arches near the cliffs seen in the far distance of this monumental seascape.
According to her family members, Etta Cone initially hesistated to acquire it because she was concerned about the health of the sea creatures on the beach. When she inquired, she was reassured that Matisse had watered the fish to keep them alive during their modeling session.
The Baltimore Museum of Art by bequest, 1949; Etta Cone, Baltimore, by bequest, 1929; Claribel Cone, Baltimore, and Etta Cone, Baltimore, 1923; Galerie Bernheim-Jeune, Paris
The Baltimore Museum of Art, "An Exhibition of Modern French Art", January 9, 1925-February 1, 1925, no. 69 (exhibited as "Etretat").
Adelyn D. Breeskin, The Baltimore Museum of Art, "Cone Collection of Modern Paintings and Sculpture", April 1, 1930-December 1, 1930 (exhibited as "Etretat").
Galeries Georges Petit, Paris, "Henri-Matisse, Exposition Organisée au Profit de l'Orphelinat des Arts", June 16, 1931-July 25, 1931, no. 86 (exhibited as "Etretat: Poissons sur la Grève").
The Baltimore Museum of Art, "Cone Collection", May 12, 1934-October 1, 1934.
Adelyn Breeskin, The Baltimore Museum of Art, "A Century of Baltimore Collecting 1840-1940", June 6, 1941-September 1, 1941 (exhibited as "Etretat").
Gertrude Rosenthal, The Baltimore Museum of Art, "Selections from the Cone Collection", October 7, 1949-December 31, 1949, no. 37 (exhibited as "Large Cliff at Etretat").
The Baltimore Museum of Art, "The Cone Collection", circulated to M. Knoedler & Company, New York, January 24, 1955-February 19, 1955 (exhibited as "Large Cliff at Etretat").
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. 20 (exhibited as "Large Cliff at Etretat").
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.
The Baltimore Museum of Art, "Masterpieces from the Cone Collection of The Baltimore Museum of Art", circulated to The Los Angeles County Museum of Art, October 6, 1985-November 24, 1985; circulated to the Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth, December 14, 1985-February 9, 1986.
Jack Cowart and Dominique Fourcade, The National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, "Henri Matisse The Early Years in Nice 1916-1930", November 2, 1986-March 29, 1987, no. 89 (exhibited as "Grande falaise, les poisons/Large Cliff, Fish").
Brenda Richardson, The Baltimore Museum of Art, "Matisse, Picasso and Impressionist Masters from the Cone Collection", circulated to The Museum of Fine Arts Boston, October 2, 1991-January 19, 1992.
John Elderfield with Beatrice Kernan, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, "Henri Matisse: A Retrospective", September 24, 1992-January 19, 1993, no. 245 (exhibited as "Large Cliff: Fish").
Brenda Richardson, The Baltimore Museum of Art, "Van Gogh to Matisse: Impressionist and Modern Masters from the Cone Collection of The Baltimore Museum of Art", circulated to The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, November 21, 1993-January 30, 1994.
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. 13; 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.
Centre Georges Pompidou, "Matisse: Paires et series", March 7-June 18, 2012; circulated to Statens Museum for Kunst, July, 14-October 28, 2012; Metropolitan Museum of Art, December 3, 2012-March 17, 2013.
Katy Rothkopf, BMA, "Collecting Matisse and Modern Masters: The Cone Sisters of Baltimore", circulated to The Jewish Museum, New York, 6 May-25 September 2011.
Adelyn D. Breeskin, The Baltimore Museum of Art, "Cone Collection of Modern Paintings and Sculpture", April 1, 1930-December 1, 1930 (exhibited as "Etretat").
Galeries Georges Petit, Paris, "Henri-Matisse, Exposition Organisée au Profit de l'Orphelinat des Arts", June 16, 1931-July 25, 1931, no. 86 (exhibited as "Etretat: Poissons sur la Grève").
The Baltimore Museum of Art, "Cone Collection", May 12, 1934-October 1, 1934.
Adelyn Breeskin, The Baltimore Museum of Art, "A Century of Baltimore Collecting 1840-1940", June 6, 1941-September 1, 1941 (exhibited as "Etretat").
Gertrude Rosenthal, The Baltimore Museum of Art, "Selections from the Cone Collection", October 7, 1949-December 31, 1949, no. 37 (exhibited as "Large Cliff at Etretat").
The Baltimore Museum of Art, "The Cone Collection", circulated to M. Knoedler & Company, New York, January 24, 1955-February 19, 1955 (exhibited as "Large Cliff at Etretat").
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. 20 (exhibited as "Large Cliff at Etretat").
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.
The Baltimore Museum of Art, "Masterpieces from the Cone Collection of The Baltimore Museum of Art", circulated to The Los Angeles County Museum of Art, October 6, 1985-November 24, 1985; circulated to the Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth, December 14, 1985-February 9, 1986.
Jack Cowart and Dominique Fourcade, The National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, "Henri Matisse The Early Years in Nice 1916-1930", November 2, 1986-March 29, 1987, no. 89 (exhibited as "Grande falaise, les poisons/Large Cliff, Fish").
Brenda Richardson, The Baltimore Museum of Art, "Matisse, Picasso and Impressionist Masters from the Cone Collection", circulated to The Museum of Fine Arts Boston, October 2, 1991-January 19, 1992.
John Elderfield with Beatrice Kernan, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, "Henri Matisse: A Retrospective", September 24, 1992-January 19, 1993, no. 245 (exhibited as "Large Cliff: Fish").
Brenda Richardson, The Baltimore Museum of Art, "Van Gogh to Matisse: Impressionist and Modern Masters from the Cone Collection of The Baltimore Museum of Art", circulated to The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, November 21, 1993-January 30, 1994.
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. 13; 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.
Centre Georges Pompidou, "Matisse: Paires et series", March 7-June 18, 2012; circulated to Statens Museum for Kunst, July, 14-October 28, 2012; Metropolitan Museum of Art, December 3, 2012-March 17, 2013.
Katy Rothkopf, BMA, "Collecting Matisse and Modern Masters: The Cone Sisters of Baltimore", circulated to The Jewish Museum, New York, 6 May-25 September 2011.
"Baltimore Women Own Large Collection of Matisse Works," "The Baltimore Sun," December 14, 1924, p. M20. (Published as "Etretat")
"An Exhibition of Modern French Art," Baltimore: The Baltimore Museum of Art, 1925, p. 11, no. 69. (Published as "Etretat")
"'Advanced' Works of Art Startle Some," "The Baltimore Sun," January 18, 1925, ill. p. 8. (Published as "Etretat")
The Baltimore Museum of Art, "Cone Collection of Modern Paintings and Sculpture," Baltimore: The Baltimore Museum of Art, 1930, pp. 5 or 6, no. 17 or 34. (Published as "Etretat")
"L'Art," "Le Mois: Synthèse de l'activité Mondiale," July 1 - August 1931, p. 224, ill.
"Henri-Matisse: Exposition Organisée au Profit de l'Orphelinat des Arts," Paris: Galeries Georges Petit, 1931, p. 34, no. 86. (Published as "Etretat: Poissons sur la Grève")
Waldemar George, "The Dual Aspect of Matisse," "Formes," June 1931, no. 16, n.p., ill. (Published as "Etretat: The Skate")
Etta Cone, "The Cone Collection of Baltimore-Maryland," Baltimore: Etta Cone, 1934, p. 24, pl. 38, ill. (Published as "Étretat, La Grande Falaise")
"Baltimore Sees 52 Works by Henri Matisse," "Art Digest," September 1, 1934, vol. VIII, no. 20, p. 20, ill. (Published as "Etretat")
Alexander Romm, "Henri Matisse," Moscow: Ogiz-Izogiz, 1937, no. 26, ill. (Published as "Etretat, the Skate")
"A Century of Baltimore Collecting 1840-1940," Baltimore: The Baltimore Museum of Art, 1941, p. 83, 116. (Published as "Etretat")
Alexander Romm, "Matisse: A Social Critique," New York: Lear, 1947, p. 95, n.p., ill. (Published as "Etretat, The Skate")
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. 14. (Published as "Large Cliff at Etretat")
"$3,000,000 Art Collection," "Look," April 25, 1950, vol. 14, no. 9, p. 104, ill. p. 104.
Alfred H. Barr, Jr., "Matisse: His Art and His Public," New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 1951, p. 557. (Published as "Large Cliff at Etretat")
Gaston Diehl, "Henri-Matisse," Paris: Éditions Pierre Tisné, 1954, p. 76 (Published as "Poissons sur la grève")
"Matisse: A Rare Collection Record," "Vogue" March 1, 1955, vol. 125, pp. 133, 134, ill. p. 134. (Published as "Large Cliff at Étretat")
George Boas, Adelyn Breeskin, and Gertrude Rosenthal, "Cone Collection: A Handbook with a Catalogue of Paintings and Sculpture," Baltimore: The Baltimore Museum of Art, 1955, p. 32, no. 48. (Published as "Large Cliff at Etretat")
Howard Devree, "About Art and Artists," "The New York Times," January 25, 1955, p. 23. (Published as "Large Cliff at Étretat")
Barbara Pollack, "The Collectors: D. Claribel and Miss Etta Cone," New York: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, Inc., 1962, p. 238, ill. p. 172.
George Boas, Adelyn Breeskin, and Gertrude Rosenthal, "Paintings, Sculpture, and Drawings in the Cone Collection," Baltimore: The Baltimore Museum of Art, 1967, p. 66, no. 45. (Published as "Large Cliff at Etretat")
Massimo Carrà and Mario Luzi, "L'opera di Matisse dalla rivolta 'fauve' all'intimismo 1904-1928," Milan: Rizzoli 1971, pp. 99, 100, 113, 114, no. 332, ill. (Published as "Grande Scogliera a Etretat")
Jack D. Flam, "The Norton Matisses," Palm Beach, FL: Art Museum of the Palm Beaches, Inc., 1973, n.p, fig. 10, ill. (Published as "Great Cliff at Etretat")
"Cone Collection from the Baltimore Museum of Art: A Benefit Exhibition at Wildenstein," Baltimore: The Baltimore Museum of Art, 1974, no. 20. (Published as "Large Cliff at Etretat")
Pierre Schneider, Massimo Carrà and Xavier Deryng, "Tout l'Oeuvre Peint de Matisse 1904-1928," Paris: Flammarion, 1982, pp. 99, 100, 114, no. 332, ill. (Published as "La Grande Falaise à Étretat")
Brenda Richardson, "Dr. Claribel & Miss Etta: The Cone Collection of The Baltimore Museum of Art," Baltimore: The Baltimore Museum of Art, 1985, pp. 26, 94, 173, 174, 197, 200, ill. pp. 26, 174.
Jack Cowart and Dominique Fourcade, "Henri Matisse The Early Years in Nice 1916-1930," New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1987, pp. 159, 303, 334, no. 89, ill. (Published as "Grande falaise, les poissons/Large Cliff, Fish")
Jacqueline and Maurice Guillaud, "Matisse: Le Rythme et la Ligne," Paris: Guillaud Editions, 1987, ill. p. 307.
Guy Ducrey and Marina Ducrey, "La Galerie Paul Vallotton Dupuis 1913," Lausanne: Galerie Paul Vallotton, 1988, pp. 66-67,76, ill. p. 66. (Published as "La Grande Falaise à Etretat")
Girard, Xavier. Les chefs-d'œuvre du Musée Matisse, Nice, Cimiez. [Dijon]: Ville de Dijon; [Paris]: Réunion des musées nationaux; [Nice-Cimiez]: Musée Matisse, [1991], page 56.
John Elderfield, "Henri Matisse: A Retrospective," New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 1992, pp. 319, 478, no. 245, ill. (Published as "Large Cliff: Fish")
Guy-Patrice and Michel Dauberville, "Henri Matisse Chez Bernheim-Jeune, vols. 1-2" Paris: Éditions Bernheim-Jeune, 1995, pp. 916, 1438, no. 418, ill. (Published as "Poissons à Étretat")
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. 60, 147, 158, no. 13, ill.
John O'Brian, "Ruthless Hedonism: The American Reception of Matisse," Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1999, p. 82, fig. 32, ill.
Sona K. Johnston and William R. Johnston, "The Triumph of French Painting: Masterpieces from Ingres to Matisse," London: Scala Publishers, 2000, p. 36, fig. 16, ill.
Jack Flam, "Matisse in the Cone Collection: The Poetics of Vision," Baltimore: The Baltimore Museum of Art, 2001, pp. 55, 58-60, pl. 22, ill.
Anne Baldassari, Elizabeth Cowling, John Elderfield, John Golding, Isabelle Monod-Fontaine and Kirk Varnedoe, "Matisse Picasso," London: Tate Publishing, 2002, p. 375, fig. 96, ill.
Richard R. Brettell and Stephen Eisenman, "Nineteenth-Century Art in the Norton Simon Museum, volume 1" Los Angeles: Norton Simon Art Foundation, 2006, pp. 180-181, 573, fig. 45d, ill.
Karen Levitov, "Collecting Matisse and Modern Masters: The Cone Sisters of Baltimore," New York: The Jewish Museum, 2011, pp. 21, 36-37, 76, pl. 13, ill.
Cécile Debray, "Matisse: Paires et series, Le Centre national d'art et de culture Georges Pompidou, Paris, 2012, p. 156 and 227, color ill.
Aagesen, Dorthe, and Rebecca Rabinow, eds. Matisse: In Search of True Painting. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, [2012], page 123, no. 45 (published as “Large Clif---Fish”).
Bois, Yve-Alain, ed. Matisse in the Barnes Foundation, vol. 2. Philadelphia: Barnes Foundation, 2015, p. 304, fig. 5.
Cozzi, Leslie and Katherine Rothkopf (eds). "A Modern Influence: Henri Matisse, Etta Cone, and Baltimore." Baltimore: The Baltimore Museum of Art, 2021. ill.
Inscribed: Recto: Lower right in paint, "Henri-Matisse" Verso: The painting has been wax lined and there are no visible inscriptions on the verso.
On View at the BMA
