Lydia Delectorskaya (1910-1998) became the final muse for the celebrated French modernist painter Henri Matisse.
Lydia Delectorskaya (1910-1998) became the final muse for the celebrated French modernist painter Henri Matisse.
This month, we’re talking about muses–women who were drivers of creativity and inspiration. Once again, we’re proud to partner with Mercedes-Benz (whose famous namesake was inspired by a young muse named Mercedes). Tune in daily for stories of women whose lives inspired work that has shaped our culture.
History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.
Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more. Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures.
Womanica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Liz Smith, Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, Brittany Martinez, Edie Allard, Lindsey Kratochwill, Adesuwa Agbonile, Carmen Borca-Carrillo, Taylor Williamson, Ale Tejeda, Sara Schleede, and Alex Jhamb Burns. Special thanks to Shira Atkins.
Original theme music composed by Miles Moran.
We are offering free ad space on Wonder Media Network shows to organizations working towards social justice. For more information, please email Jenny at pod@wondermedianetwork.com.
Follow Wonder Media Network:
Hello! From Wonder Media Network, I’m Jenny Kaplan. This is Womanica.
This month, we're talking about muses -- women who were drivers of creativity and inspiration.
Today, we’re talking about a woman who became the final muse for the celebrated French modernist painter Henri Matisse.
Let’s talk about Lydia Delectorskaya.
Lydia Delectorskaya was born in Tomsk, Russia in 1910. She fled her homeland during the Russian Revolution and settled in Harbin, China, a safe haven for Soviet refugees.
When Lydia was 12, both of her parents died, and she spent the rest of her childhood living with her aunt. At 20, she married a much older man, and the couple moved to Paris. Their marriage ended after only a year.
Lydia was well-educated and wanted to be a doctor like her father had been. But her divorce left her almost penniless. She briefly studied medicine at the Sorbonne in Paris but soon couldn’t afford the tuition.
During her next equally disastrous relationship Lydia moved to Nice in 1932, where she bounced between jobs as a film extra, model and dancer. Matisse was also living and working in Nice, and Lydia responded to an ad to be the aging artist’s temporary assistant.
While she was working for Matisse, his wife became ill. Matisse asked Lydia to stay on as her caretaker.
At first, Matisse overlooked Lydia as a potential muse. She wasn’t like the dark-haired, olive-skinned models he typically painted — Matisse later called the blonde and blue-eyed Lydia “Snow Queen.” But one day, he noticed Lydia daydreaming with her head lying on crossed arms. Her relaxed pose captivated Matisse, and the artist quickly began the first of hundreds of sketches of Lydia.
Soon, Lydia became Matisse’s favorite artistic inspiration.
In 1935, Lydia began sitting for a new Matisse painting. For six months, she posed for hours everyday as Matisse crafted his famous work The Pink Nude. Art historians estimate that Lydia is depicted in more than 90 Matisse paintings.
But Lydia wasn’t just Matisse’s model. As time wore on, she began to take on more responsibilities and was soon running his entire studio. Lydia became vital to Matisse’s daily routine, and his wife took notice.
Matisse’s family didn’t like Lydia, and many assumed the two were entangled in a romantic affair. But Lydia and Matisse always denied being lovers.
Madame Matisse didn’t care. Lydia later explained, “Madame wanted me to leave, not from female jealousy — there was no question of adultery — but because I was running the whole house.”
Eventually, Matisse’s wife gave him an ultimatum: “Me or her.” Matisse protested but still fired Lydia. She was heartbroken over losing the only job she had ever truly loved. Lydia tried to commit suicide by aiming a gun at her chest, but the bullet miraculously bounced off her breast bone and she survived.
Even with Lydia out of the picture, Madame Matisse wasn’t satisfied. She filed for divorce in 1939. Matisse promptly hired Lydia again.
As he grew old and frail, Lydia cared for Matisse through bouts of asthma and arthritis and a battle with cancer.
When France was occupied during World War II, Lydia made sure Matisse stayed warm through frigid winters and always had enough food. She took boxing lessons to protect herself from leering soldiers as she trudged through the streets, tending to the painter’s personal and business affairs.
Throughout their partnership, Matisse marveled at Lydia’s work ethic and resourcefulness. He once joked that he wouldn’t be surprised to discover Lydia knew how to fly an airplane.
Matisse expressed his gratitude by gifting Lydia with original sketches twice a year. But she also spent a huge portion of her wages buying even more work from the painter, who she admired above all other artists. She argued that she should pay the same price as any other collector.
In Matisse's final years, Lydia helped him complete his last works — including the colored paper cutouts now regarded as one of his most brilliant artistic innovations.
Matisse sketched Lydia for the last time the day before his death. As he made the final pen stroke, the painter proclaimed, “It will do.”
Matisse died on November 3, 1954. His family still resented Lydia, and she didn’t attend his funeral.
For the rest of Lydia’s life, she dedicated herself to growing Matisse’s legacy as one of the greatest painters of the 20th century. She published two large volumes on his work and loaned the art she owned to galleries and museums. Lydia deeply wanted her fellow Russians to know and appreciate Matisse’s genius. She is largely responsible for the collection of Matisse paintings that exists in Russia today.
Lydia took her own life in 1998, when she was 87 years old. She was buried first in France and then in her Russian homeland near St. Petersburg. Both of Lydia’s gravestones were inscribed with a quote often attributed to Pablo Picasso: “Matisse preserved her beauty for eternity.”
All month, we’re highlighting muses. For more information, find us on Facebook and Instagram @womanicapodcast.
Special thanks to Liz Kaplan, my favorite sister and co-creator.
As always, we’ll be taking a break for the weekend. Talk to you Monday!