Are works by major 20th century artist Henri Matisse still available at auction

Are works by major 20th century artist Henri Matisse still available at auction?

[22 Apr 2025]

Do you have to be a multi-millionaire to purchase a work by Matisse, an icon, like Picasso, of 20th-century art? His major masterpieces are reserved for museums and very wealthy collectors, but his prints and drawings can offer surprising acquisition opportunities.

Henri Matisse was not only an undisputed master of color and movement, he was the very soul of an artistic revolution. Pure drawings, vibrant prints, each work revealed a fascinating aspect of his genius.

In a market dominated by dizzying auction results, what options do collectors really have?

Sections:

Matisse the engraver: a gateway for collectors
From scissors to stencils: the spirit of paper cutting at a lower price
Cut-outs: the right price?

Matisse the engraver: a gateway for collectors

It all began in 1900 with a first engraving: a drypoint self-portrait, a tribute to Rembrandt. Very quickly, Matisse freed himself from traditions to explore freer gestures, inspired by Delacroix. In a career spanning fifty years, He tried his hand at a wide variety of techniques including etching, lithography, linocuts, woodcuts… In total, his catalog raisonné contains 829 plates. Dense but meticulously controlled, with limited editions and scratched templates to avoid any reprinting. A discipline that reinforces the rarity and appeal of these works on the market.

Long remaining in the shadow of his paintings, his engraved works are now enjoying renewed interest that has, of course, been reflected on the auction market: the number of Matisse prints sold at auction has risen by 46% in ten years, after an increase of 60% over the previous decade.

Matisse is of course, a veritable pillar of the art market: the 49th top-selling artist at auction in 2024, with an annual auction turnover of $27.5 million, ahead of Paul Signac. But numerically speaking, it is his engraved works that dominate the auctions: 80.7% of his sold lots are prints. This is because his work appeals to a wide range of collectors: more than half of the prints (54%) sell for under $2,000.

Henri MATISSE (1869-1954)_, Océanie, la mer_{(1946)
Screenprint on linen, Ed. 10/30, 164.9 x 379.4 cm
Christie's Paris, April 13, 2022. Jacqueline Matisse Monnier Collection
Price: $2.26 million. A copy of this work (number 26/30) reached a record $4.77 million at Christie's London in 2011.}

At the same time, some of these printed works reach six-figure prices… and beyond. One of them, Oceania, the Sea (1946), particularly stands out. This monumental screen print, almost four meters long and edited in only 30 copies, has found its way into the collections of the greatest museums, from the Pompidou Centerin Paris to the Beyeler Foundation in Switzerland. If and when these works come onto the market, the results can be spectacular, depending on their condition and the enthusiasm of bidders: somewhere between 2 and 5 million dollars.

Between these emblematic works and the hundreds of more affordable prints, collectors navigate between prestige and opportunity. And for those looking for extra originality in the universe of his multiples, Matisse's stencils are absolutely unique, distinct from engraving or lithography.

Number of works by Henri Matisse sold at auction by price range

Find out more about the auction prices of works by Henri Matisse with Intuitive Art Market®

From scissors to stencils: the spirit of paper cutting… at a lower price

Often eclipsed by other engraving processes, the stencil technique nevertheless adds a unique dimension to each work. Although it allows Matisse to produce series, each print retains a unique touch. Subtle variations in color, texture, or shape give each example a distinct character. This subtle blend of reproducibility and uniqueness offers collectors the opportunity to acquire a 'unique' work by a 20th-century master, while enjoying the advantages of mass production.

The stencils from Matisse's Jazz series - published in editions of 250 - are accessible works in the pure spirit of his famous paper cutouts. Their clear colors and bold simplicity sometimes sell for less than $5,000, even if the best ones can exceed $10,000 or even $20,000.

During Christie's fall sales in 2024 in New York, around twenty pieces from this series found buyers, confirming the lasting appeal of these works, which offer collectors a privileged entry point into the world of Matisse without paying millions of dollars.

Henri MATISSE (1869-1954)_. Le cheval, l'écuyère et le clown, from Jazz _{(1947)
Stencil/Arches. Publ. by Tériade, Paris. Ed. 100, 42.2 x 65.7 cm
Christie's New York, 25/10/2024. Prix: $32,760}

Stencils and prints were not simply substitute techniques for Matisse. They epitomise his artistic approach alongside his paintings and his famous paper cutouts. If great works often escape collectors because of their price, these more affordable techniques offer a gateway into his universe. His more discreet creations symbolize this rare balance between prestige and accessibility, which is highly sought after by lots of collectors today.

Cut-outs: the right price?

Matisse's paper cutouts, flamboyant symbols of his late-career audacity, are unique works that are as rare as they are prized. Yet even the most coveted treasures can fall on fallow ground, especially in the current climate when buyers are more cautious; it's all about the right price.

Last year, a single paper cut appeared at auction, the first in six long years. A golden opportunity? Not really.

_{Left: Henri MATISSE (1869-1954), Apollinaire (1951/52). Cut-out, gouache, pencil, 33.4 x 25.9 cm
Bonhams New York, 05/15/2024. Estimate: $500,000 - $700,000. Not sold}

_{Right: Tête de jeune fille (1944). Indian ink, pencil, 32.5 x 48.8 cm
Christie's New York, 20/11/2024. $37,800}

The work in question - a small format of 33 x 26 cm, which served as a model for the cover of a work about poet Guillaume Apollinaire, published in 1952 - did not find a buyer. Bonhams' estimated range of $500,000 to $700,000 was considered too high, and it reminds us that rarity, a major criterion in the promotion of a famous work, does not necessarily seduce at any price and that market reality cannot be completely ignored.

Especially when, for a fraction of this amount, collectors can buy the master's ink or pencil drawings, some for around $30,000, sometimes less. Indeed, a more affordable alternative for absolutely unique works, loaded with Matisse's vibrant modernity.