The Art of Acquiring: A Portrait of Etta and Claribel Cone (19 page)

Henri Matisse, Grand nu couche, 1935, oil on canvas. BMA Collection.

E
tta Cone's collection of French art began in 1905 when she purchased some Picasso drawings for a few dollars. It ended in 1949 with the purchase of a Picasso work from that period for $15,000. But she did not live to see the final piece make its way to the Cone Collection. She died before its arrival.

Pablo Picasso, Allan Stein, 1906, gouache. BMA Collection.

E
tta purchased a Matisse self-portrait from the artist during her summer visit to Europe in 1937. Its style was not unlike portraits Matisse had completed of Etta and Claribel Cone three years earlier.

Henri Matisse, Self-Portrait, 1937, charcoal and estompe on paper. BMA Collection.

W
hen Henri Matisse visited Etta Cone in 1930, he agreed to do a portrait of her late sister Claribel—and also one of Etta. He worked on the project for three years, developing the sisters' characters on paper in four drawings of Claribel and six of Etta.

Henri Matisse, Etta Cone, 1931-1934, Charcoal or crayon on paper. BMA Collection.

Henri Matisse, Dr. Claribel Cone, 1931-1934, pencil or charcoal on paper. BMA Collection.

A
t Matisse's request, Etta Cone purchased in 1933 the original drawings, printed and rejected copper plates, three proof volumes, and the signed first copy of the printed edition of his illustrated book,
Poesies de Stephane Mallarmé
.

Henri Matisse, Poesies de Stephane Mallarmé, 1932. BMA Collection.

O
ther original drawings from Matisse's signed, illustrated book,
Poesies de Stephane Mallarmé. BMA Collection.

A
fter her sister's death, Etta Cone focused on building a collection of modern French art, which she kept in her Baltimore apartment.

Baltimore, 1930s. BMA Collection.

I
n December 1930, Henri Matisse visited Etta Cone at her Baltimore apartment. It was the first time he had seen his paintings and sculpture in her home. He was quoted later as saying it was the perfect setting for his work.

December 17-18, 1930. BMA Collection.

T
he Cone sisters’ Baltimore apartments held a treasure in modern art, textiles, and jewelry. Clockwise, from top left: Front room in Claribel Cone's Apt. 8B; front back room in Claribel Cohen's Apt. 8B; Etta Cone's Apt. 8D; study in Etta Cone's Apt. 8D.