Nikolai Tyrsa looks at Matisse Automatic translate

The State Museum of Fine Arts named after A. S. Pushkin presents an exhibition dedicated to a memorable episode in the history of the State Museum of New Western Art. The exhibition will show watercolors by Nikolai Tyrsa, which depict the exposition of the Henri Matisse hall at the State Museum of Historical Art, as well as some works located in this space, and archival materials.

Leningrad artist Nikolai Tyrsa (1887–1942) was fascinated by the art of Henri Matisse in the 1930s. During one of his visits to Moscow, Tyrsa spent time making sketches in room 12 of the State Museum of Historical Art, documenting the museum space at a certain historical moment. Nikolai Tyrsa’s watercolors are unique works of their kind: thanks to them, we can imagine what the room with Matisse’s paintings looked like in color. These graphic sheets are living evidence of the colossal interest of Russian artists in the art of the French master. It is significant that the introductory article in the catalog of Tyrsa’s personal exhibition, held at the Pushkin Museum. A. S. Pushkin in 1969, began with the words of Matisse: “An artist must be able to look at the world through the eyes of a child all his life,” “must see everything as if he saw it for the first time.”

At the exhibition, Nikolai Tyrsa’s works will be side by side with objects of art that are easily recognizable in watercolors. Among them are Henri Matisse’s painting "Arums, Irises and Mimosa (Blue Vase with Flowers on a Blue Tablecloth)" (1913) and Richard Guino’s sculpture "Torso" (1912). Museum visitors will see archival photographs and reproductions of Matisse’s paintings, which were published in the 1930s by the publishing house “Fine Arts” (“IZOGIZ”). Nikolai Tyrsa’s watercolors presented at the exhibition are being shown for the first time.