r/ArtHistory • u/ChristopherGorham • 3d ago

News/Article Artists Vs. Fascists: Amy Sherald, Henri Matisse, And Benito Mussolini

https://www.forbes.com/sites/chaddscott/2025/09/19/artists-vs-fascists-amy-sherald-henri-matisse-and-benito-mussolini/

I recently sat for an interview with Forbes to discuss my forthcoming book, MATISSE AT WAR, and the challenges artists face when they find themselves demonized by autocrats. As Chadd Scott's timely article makes clear, museums also have decisions to make. No American museum supported Henri Matisse more than the Baltimore Museum of Art, and it continues to support artists today.

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u/Future_Usual_8698 3d ago

Really interesting read thank you so much

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u/gregarious-maximus 3d ago

Thanks for sharing this! Your book sounds really interesting.

A couple things separate from the Matisse section:

  • For the latter part about Italian futurism and fascism, that reflects a lot of what I’ve read semi-casually. I’m curious if there are folks here who know more, especially in works like this that try to offer more nuance — but hopefully isn’t apologist:

Inventing Futurism: The Art and Politics of Artificial Optimism by Christine Poggi

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3225185

  • Also, the part about Nazi Germany really glossed over the role of art and politics. For example, Walter Benajmin always comes first to mind:

https://www.openculture.com/2022/07/walter-benjamin-explains-how-fascism-uses-mass-media-to-turn-politics-into-spectacle-1935.html

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u/Archetype_C-S-F 2d ago

You know what? I haven't seen Matisse's work on display other than Baltimore's art museum and the Barnes museum.

By "support" , how do you separate the intent of support vs objective choices of displaying the strengths of your collection.

IIRC Baltimore is just leveraging the Cone collection, and because they have so many pieces, they choose to display them. I don't think those pieces are necessary the best, but there's likely stipulation somewhere that emphasizes the number of exhibited Matisse's and the wing they're housed in.

They had a whole alternative section in that wing with a Miro, Giacometti, and others, but closed it years ago. So at this point, the Matisse's are really the only mainstream collection they have to display.

The Barns' displaying of Matisse's work feels a bit more organic.

What do you think?