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Apollon
Apollon
Apollon
Photo: Tobias Fischer/Moderna Museet

Apollon

Artist (Frankrike, 1869 - 1954)
Alternate Title
  • Apollo
Date1953
MediumGouache découpé, collage på vitmålat papper limmat på duk
DimensionsBildmått: 327 × 423 cm
ClassificationPaintings
Credit LinePurchase 1968 with contribution from The Friends of Moderna Museet, The Gerard Bonnier Foundation and Carl-Bertel Nathhorst Scientific Foundation 
Countries
Object NumberNMB 1944
The artwork is not on display
About the artworkMatisse's large collage is composed of clear-cut fields and playful shapes. Apollo, god of sun and light, is drawn in ink in the centre of the picture, surrounded by glittering water. Perhaps we can discern - in the curvaceous blue form - Daphne, who let herself be transformed into a tree to escape her pursuer. Perhaps, also, the folded yellow paper represents her soft skin turned into bark. The motif is outlined by the shape of a heart, and the columns on either side place it firmly in the classic era, but also evoke a tombstone. Apollo was Matisse's last major work.
Selected exhibition history Ny presentation av samlingen (2000-2002) Moderna Museet, Stockholm Efterkrigstid till 1970-tal Moderna Museet, Stockholm Scenbyte: verk ur Moderna Museets Samling av Dardel, Matisse, Abdul-Hadi, Hjertén och Léger m.fl. (den 15 oktober 2011 - den 5 februari 2012) Moderna Museet Malmö Givet av MMV (1972) Moderna Museet, Stockholm Moderna Museets samling i ny presentation (1998-2000) Moderna Museet, Stockholm Jorden - globala förändringar (1994) Moderna Museet, Stockholm Henri Matisse (1984-1985) Moderna Museet, Stockholm Samlingsutställning 2004 - 2011 - I vår tid (2004 - 2011) Moderna Museet, Stockholm The Moderna Museet exhibition catalogues Jorden : globala förändringar : Moderna Museet, Spårvagnshallarna, Stockholm : [4 juni - 9 oktober 1994]Henri Matisse : Moderna Museet, Stockholm : 3.11 1984 - 6.1 1985Jorden : globala förändringar : Moderna Museet, Spårvagnshallarna : 4/6 - 9/10 1994Givet av Moderna Museets vänner : [Moderna Museet : 22.1 - 13.2 1972]