Henri Matisse is one of the best known of the early 20th century artists, who rose to prominence as the leader of the Fauve movement, which substituted color and broad and bold brush strokes for the light and shade interplay of Impressionism.
In 1911, he painted what is now recognized to be among the great examples of Fauvism, now one of the gems of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), L'Atelier Rouge, or the Red Studio. It exhibited the boldness of the Fauvist movement without being jarring. Front and center was the artists depiction of his own studio.
The Red Studio was exhibited in London in 1912 and at the famed Armory Show in 1913, where it traveled to Boston and Chicago. It was then purchased by David Tennant and hung in the Gargoyle Club in London.
From June to October, 1937, the Petit Palais in Paris curated an exhibit entitled "The Masters of Independent Art." Included were paintings of Matisse, among many others. It was a widely acclaimed exhibit, one in which Matisse evidently took a personal role, writing the curator and playing an intermediary role with his clients.
Autograph Letter Signed, March 21, 1937, to the curator of the "Musée du Petit Palais“ in Paris, Mr. Escholier, in French. ..."I have received a few words from David Tennant regarding his painting “l´Atelier”, which is exhibited in the Gargoyle Club. He would like to lend it out under my conditions - He is waiting for a letter from you with further details. I mentioned this matter to you in my previous letter ...“
In 1948, MoMA purchased the painting using gifted funds and it now resides there.