Laurette with a Cup of Coffee

ABOUT THIS WORK

In "Laurette with a Cup of Coffee," a woman named Laurette sits angled away from us, her gaze directed towards a window we can't see. Her dark hair is pulled back, and she wears a patterned dress, its fabric rendered with a lively brushwork that contrasts with the flatter background. The painting captures a moment of quiet contemplation, a woman absorbed in her own thoughts, perhaps enjoying a morning ritual. This work, created around 1916, reflects a period when Matisse was exploring more structured compositions and a slightly muted palette compared to his earlier, more vibrant Fauvist works. The intimacy of the scene, combined with the simplified forms and bold outlines, draws the viewer into Laurette's private world, inviting us to wonder what occupies her thoughts.

DETAILS

Artist: Henri Matisse
Date: 1916
Medium: Oil on canvas
Location: Art Institute of Chicago
Dimensions: 57.6 × 39.8 cm (22 11/16 × 15 11/16 in.)
Collection: Modern Art
Culture: France
Credit line: Estate of Marguerita S. Ritman; Marian and Samuel Klasstorner Endowment; through prior gifts of Philip D. Armour; through prior bequests of Dorothy C. Morris and Marguerita S. Ritman

ART MOVEMENTS

Fauvism Impressionism Neo-Impressionism Post-Impressionism

LOOK CLOSER

What to Notice

Five details hide in plain sight. Pick one and we’ll show you exactly where to look.

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01Whole painting

A turned world

The head lies sideways across the canvas, so you tilt your own head to read it. The odd angle makes a familiar portrait feel close and casual.

02

The sideways gaze

Find the two dark almond eyes near the center of the face. With the head turned on its side, they stack one above the other and give the sitter a calm, direct look.

1 of 4 on the painting

03

Black sleeve

At left, a heavy black shape runs toward the chin. It looks like a dark glove or sleeve, a flat, bold mass set against the pale blouse and the face.

2 of 4 on the painting

04

Checkered tray

The black and white checks on the tray are brushed loosely and tilt toward the corner. They set up a sharp pattern against the soft skin tones.

3 of 4 on the painting

05

Cup of coffee

In the lower right, a pale cup of dark coffee sits on a saucer with a spoon. The round dark coffee echoes the black hair on the opposite side.

4 of 4 on the painting

AUDIO DEEP DIVE

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THE ARTIST

Henri Matisse

1869–1954 · France

Henri Matisse, a master of color and form, moved from law to art after an appendicitis recovery, becoming a defining figure of 20th-century modern art.

Read Matisse’s full story