The Musician

1914

Louis Casimir Ladislas Marcoussis

Artist, French, born Poland, 1883 - 1941

Glimpses of body parts, bits of a stringed instrument, and hints of a background are fragmented and splintered in this vertical, abstracted painting. Painted within overlapping, geometric shapes, recognizable features like a nose, lips, eyes, and ears are at the top center above a chest, an arm, a ruffled shirt front, and bow tie. The scroll, neck, and bridge of an instrument, perhaps a cello, are below. A vase of flowers is in the background to the left, and a piano keyboard, music stand, and paper titled “Malvina Vass” are to the right. Most of the composition is painted in slate and celestial blue and smoky and nickel gray with some touches of brown, black, and muted red. The artist signed and dated the painting near the lower left corner, “Marcoussis 1914.”

Media Options

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On View

East Building Mezzanine, Gallery 217-B

Artwork overview

  • Medium

    oil on canvas

  • Credit Line

    Chester Dale Collection

  • Dimensions

    overall: 146 x 114.3 cm (57 1/2 x 45 in.)
    framed: 176.2 x 143.2 x 8.2 cm (69 3/8 x 56 3/8 x 3 1/4 in.)

  • Accession

    1963.10.163

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Purchased at the Salon des Indépendants, Paris, 1914 by Rodman Wanamaker [d. 1928], New York;[1] sold 1928 to (Valentine Gallery, New York); sold February 1929 to Chester Dale [1883-1962], New York;[2] bequest 1963 to NGA.
[1]Letter dated 26 April 1930 in NGA curatorial files confirms Wanamaker's purchase. [2]According to Chester Dale papers in NGA curatorial records.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1914

  • Salon des Indépendants, Paris, 1914, no. 2183

1929

  • Valentine Gallery, New York, 28 January - 23 February 1929, no. 6

1943

  • Twentieth Century French Paintings from the Chester Dale Collection, Art Institute of Chicago, 1943-1952 (extended loan), unnumbered catalogue, repro. p. 37

1952

  • Twentieth Century French Paintings from the Chester Dale Collection, National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1952, no. 33, repro.

1965

  • The Chester Dale Bequest, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1965, unnumbered checklist.

1978

  • Aspects of Twentieth-Century Art, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1978-1979, no. 26, repro.

Bibliography

1930

  • Cassou, Jean. Marcoussis. Paris, 1930: 33, repro, as L'Homme au Violoncelle.

1943

  • Twentieth Century French Paintings from the Chester Dale Collection. The Art Institute of Chicago, 1943:, 37, repro.

1946

  • Halicka, Alice. Hier: Souvenirs. Paris, 1946:58

1952

  • Twentieth Century French Paintings from the Chester Dale Collection. National Gallery of Art. Washington, 1952 (2nd ed., 1960; rev. ed., 1965): 33, repro.

1959

  • Habasque, Guy. Cubism: Biographical and Critical Study. Paris, 1959:70-71, color repro.

1960

  • Twentieth Century French Paintings from the Chester Dale Collection. National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1960 (2nd ed.): 35, repro.

1961

  • Lafranchis, Jean. Marcoussis: sa Vie, son Oeuvre. Paris, 1961: 73-74, color repro. as L'Homme au Violoncelle.

1965

  • Twentieth Century French Paintings & Sculpture of the French School in the Chester Dale Collection. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1965 (rev. ed.): 42, repro.

  • Summary Catalogue of European Paintings and Sculpture. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1965: 83.

1968

  • National Gallery of Art. European Paintings and Sculpture, Illustrations. Washington, 1968: 73, repro.

1975

  • European Paintings: An Illustrated Summary Catalogue. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1975: 214, repro.

1985

  • European Paintings: An Illustrated Catalogue. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1985: 249, repro.

Inscriptions

lower left: MARCOUSSIS 1914

Wikidata ID

Q20191843

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