Ruth R. Marder Center for Matisse Studies

The BMA is home to the world’s most extensive public collection of Henri Matisse artworks and the Ruth R. Marder Center for Matisse, where scholars and visitors can explore the artist’s groundbreaking vision, creative practice, and lasting impact.

Widely recognized as one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, Matisse is renowned for his bold use of color and expressive line. He helped shape the direction of modern art through his innovative techniques and diverse body of work.

The Marder Matisse Center—located on the Museum’s first floor, adjacent to the Nancy Dorman and Stanley Mazaroff Center for the Study of Prints, Drawings and Photographs—serves as a major resource for scholars, students, and visitors interested in learning more about the life and work of Matisse. Sisters Claribel Cone and Etta Cone’s impressive collection of 600 works by this renowned artist serves as the core of the BMA’s vast holdings. To this incredible group of objects, the Museum has added more than 800 works by Matisse since Etta Cone’s death in 1949; many of them are gifts from the artist’s family.

• The Jay McKean Fisher Gallery, where masterworks by Matisse and his contemporaries from the BMA’s collection offer fresh perspectives during every visit.
• A dedicated study room, where curators, scholars, and students can make appointments to view works by Matisse not regularly on display—allowing for close looking and in‑depth study of extraordinary works on paper.
• An extensive reference library, available for consultation in the study room, supporting research, teaching, and lifelong learning.

In addition to hosting programs focused on Matisse and his enduring legacy, the Marder Matisse Center is committed to encouraging more exhibitions, publications, and new scholarship on the French artist—both inside and outside of the BMA.

Visit today to view the latest exhibition as well as three stunning stained-glass works by contemporary artist Stanley Whitney (b. 1946), commissioned by the BMA.

The Study Room for the Ruth R. Marder Center for Matisse Studies is open by appointment only for the purpose of academic and individual research. Students, scholars, and curators are invited to schedule an appointment at least one month in advance.

To make an appointment, please email matissecenter@artbma.org.

The BMA’s Matisse collection was first established in the early 20th century through the vision and philanthropy of Baltimore sisters Claribel and Etta Cone, whose internationally renowned collection was bequeathed to the museum in 1949 and is the centerpiece of the BMA’s expansive holdings. Among the highlights of the Cone Collection are more than 600 works by Matisse—considered one of the greatest artists of the 20th century—including paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, and illustrated books. To this incredible group of objects, the BMA has added more than 600 works by the artist over the years, many of them from the artist’s family.

In 2020, the Museum received $3.5 million from a longtime museum advocate to endow The Ruth R. Marder Center for Matisse Studies directorship. In recognition of this generous gift, the position has been titled The Anne and Ben Cone Memorial Director. The named directorship acknowledges Clarabel and Etta Cone’s nephew and his wife, who have continued the family’s legacy of support for the BMA.

Katy Rothkopf, Senior Curator and Department Head of European Painting and Sculpture, was appointed The Anne and Ben Cone Memorial Director of the Ruth R. Marder Center for Matisse Studies in 2020.