Jacqueline Duhême was the assistant to Henri Matisse in Vence, Paris, and Nice, starting in 1948. Until June 5th, the Matisse Museum is presenting the original plates from “A Little Hand with Henri Matisse” (Gallimard Jeunesse, 2009), a book she wrote and illustrated.
Through this work, Jacqueline Duhême shares her unique experience with Matisse, with whom she had a great rapport, and allows us to enter the intimate life of the Master, providing enriching details about his artistic practice and his work discipline.
With her drawings and text, Jacqueline Duhême pays homage to the painter. She recounts the daily life in Matisse’s different residences, the organization of workdays, and the help she could provide as a “little hand.”
She also recalls how she herself took care to create her own drawings after working hours for “the Boss” and the valuable corrections he could offer her.
To accompany the plates and texts of this book, photographs, works by Matisse, objects that belonged to him from the museum’s collection, and documentary elements about Jacqueline Duhême are presented.
