The Musée d'Art Moderne in Paris has received an extraordinary donation of 61 artworks by Henri Matisse from the artist's family collection, marking one of the most significant contributions in the institution's history. Barbara Dauphin Duthuit, the widow of Matisse's grandson Claude Duthuit who passed away in 2011 in New York, made the generous gift that centers on portraits of Marguerite, the artist's beloved daughter. The donation encompasses a rich variety of media, including oil paintings, delicate drawings, intricate etchings, bold lithographs, and a rare sculpture, spanning several decades of Matisse's prolific career. Museum officials described the gift as both exceptional and historic, noting that many pieces had been recently displayed in the institution's critically acclaimed "Matisse et Marguerite" exhibition. The decision to permanently transfer these works came as a complete surprise to museum leadership, who had previously understood they would be returned to the family after the show concluded.

The collection provides an intimate chronicle of Marguerite's life from childhood to maturity, offering unprecedented insight into Matisse's personal world. Among the donated pieces is "Marguerite au peignoir" from 1920, a tender portrait showcasing the young woman in a dressing gown that demonstrates Matisse's mastery of intimate domestic scenes. Another notable work, simply titled "Marguerite" and dated 1901 or 1906, captures the child in early youth with the artist's characteristic economy of line. The museum had previously benefited from Duthuit's generosity in 2013 when she donated "Marguerite with a Black Cat," one of Matisse's most celebrated portraits of his daughter, to the Pompidou Centre. The cumulative value and artistic significance of these 61 pieces substantially enhance the museum's ability to present a comprehensive view of Matisse's evolving portraiture style and his deep familial bonds.

Marguerite's remarkable life story adds profound layers of historical and emotional meaning to these artworks. Born in 1894 during Matisse's relationship with model Caroline Joblau, she was formally recognized by the artist and integrated into his family after his marriage to Amélie Parayre in 1898. At age six, Marguerite survived a severe case of diphtheria that required an emergency tracheotomy, leaving a permanent scar she artfully concealed in portraits through high-necked blouses and decorative ribbons. Despite her delicate health, she demonstrated extraordinary courage during World War II by joining the French Resistance, enduring torture by the Gestapo and narrowly escaping deportation to a Nazi concentration camp. After the war, she abandoned her own promising painting career, which had included group exhibitions during the occupation, to dedicate herself entirely to managing her father's artistic legacy until his death in 1954 at age 84.

Matisse maintained a deep preference for retaining his creations within the family circle rather than dispersing them through commercial sales, making this donation particularly consequential for public access. The artist's philosophy ensured that many works remained in private hands for decades, rarely seen by scholars or the general public. The Musée d'Art Moderne previously held only 20 Matisse pieces, making this acquisition a transformative threefold expansion of their collection. The new works will enable curators to present a more nuanced narrative about Matisse's personal life and his evolving artistic relationship with his daughter across different periods. Visitors will now have unprecedented access to intimate family portraits that reveal the human side of the modernist master, complementing the museum's existing holdings of his more experimental works.

Fabrice Hergott, director of the Musée d'Art Moderne, expressed profound gratitude for the donation, calling the portraits of Marguerite "extremely beautiful and moving" in their emotional directness. He emphasized that this extraordinarily generous gesture demonstrates Madame Duthuit's deep commitment to and confidence in the museum's mission. Hergott noted that the institution effectively becomes Marguerite's new home for future generations, ensuring her legacy remains preserved and accessible to global audiences. The donation significantly strengthens the museum's position as a leading repository of modernist art and deepens its connection to the Matisse family. Plans for a dedicated exhibition featuring the newly acquired works are already under consideration for 2026, promising to shed new light on this tender father-daughter relationship that produced some of Matisse's most personal art.