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Mimosa

Henri Matisse and Alexander Smith & Sons

Mimosa

1948

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Mimosa

1948

Physical Qualities Wool, 58 1/8 x 36 3/8 in. (147.7 x 92.4 cm.)
Credit Line Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Alexander S. Cochran
Object Number 1951.166
Small limited edition rug with Matisse design composed with his "cut outs" but created espcially for this project. the rug's ground is divided into three sections with different background colors: Right half of rug (from viewer's right) has deep orange gound The bottom left has a ground of dark maroon, and the upper left (viewer's) is somewhat lighter version of maroon, but still dark. On this ground in the center is a large, "skeletal" or leave like design somewhat like a human ribcage, but abstracted, with sections located to the lower right and lower left that are not attached. Other cut- out figures of similar nature form "shadow-like" foils to the yellow. These are in shades of grey, blue, and black. Additional smaller motifs are scattered and inntertwined blue and black with or without yellow in the outher sections. This rug was created on a Jacquard loom, but resembles hand knotted rugs. Woven black bands finish the rug at the top and bottom.
The Baltimore Museum of Art by gift, 1951; Mrs. Alexander Cochran.
Anita Jones, "Matisse-Designed Textiles," The Baltimore Museum of Art, Jean and Allan Berman Gallery, December 13, 2007-June 23, 2008, no catalog.

Inscribed: Woven into the rug's pile at lower left corner: "HM" Printed on fabric label adhered to reverse: "This rug designed/BY/H. Matisse/and named Mimosa by him/has been woven by Alexander Smith in a limited edition of 500 of which this is number/[handwritten in ink:] 108."

Designer

Henri Matisse

French, 1869-1954
Meet Henri Matisse

Manufacturer

Alexander Smith & Sons

American, 1865-1954
Meet Alexander Smith & Sons

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