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Madame matisse
On France's golden Riviera, the wife of an artist gives him an ultimatum: her or me. The dazzling new novel from Sophie Haydock, author of The Flames.
This is the story of three women - one an orphan and refugee who finds a place in the studio of a famous French artist, the other a wife and mother who has stood by her husband for nearly forty years. The third is his daughter, caught in the crossfire between her mother and a father she adores.
Amelie is first drawn to Henri Matisse as a way of escaping the conventional life expected of her. A free spirit, she sees in this budding young artist a glorious future for them both. Ambitious and driven, she gives everything for her husband's art, ploughing her own desires, her time, her money into sustaining them both, even through years of struggle and disappointment.
Lydia Delectorskaya is a young Russian emigree, who fled her homeland following the death of her mother. After a fractured childhood, she is trying to make a place for herself on France's golden Riviera, amid the artists, film stars and dazzling elite. Eventually she finds employment with the Matisse family. From this point on, their lives are set on a collision course....
Marguerite is Matisse's eldest daughter. When the life of her family implodes, she must find her own way to make her mark and to navigate divided loyalties.
Based on a true story, Madame Matisse is a stunning novel about drama and betrayal; emotion and sex; glamour and tragedy, all set in the hotbed of the 1930s art movement in France. In art, as in life, this a time when the rules were made to be broken...
This is the story of three women - one an orphan and refugee who finds a place in the studio of a famous French artist, the other a wife and mother who has stood by her husband for nearly forty years. The third is his daughter, caught in the crossfire between her mother and a father she adores.
Amelie is first drawn to Henri Matisse as a way of escaping the conventional life expected of her. A free spirit, she sees in this budding young artist a glorious future for them both. Ambitious and driven, she gives everything for her husband's art, ploughing her own desires, her time, her money into sustaining them both, even through years of struggle and disappointment.
Lydia Delectorskaya is a young Russian emigree, who fled her homeland following the death of her mother. After a fractured childhood, she is trying to make a place for herself on France's golden Riviera, amid the artists, film stars and dazzling elite. Eventually she finds employment with the Matisse family. From this point on, their lives are set on a collision course....
Marguerite is Matisse's eldest daughter. When the life of her family implodes, she must find her own way to make her mark and to navigate divided loyalties.
Based on a true story, Madame Matisse is a stunning novel about drama and betrayal; emotion and sex; glamour and tragedy, all set in the hotbed of the 1930s art movement in France. In art, as in life, this a time when the rules were made to be broken...
352 pages, Paperback
First published March 6, 2025
121 people are currently reading
2508 people want to read
About the author
Sophie Haydock
5 books136 followersSophie Haydock is an award-winning author, journalist and curator with a passion for uncovering hidden treasures and shining a light on untold stories, particularly those of women in art.
Her debut novel, The Flames, brings to life the women who posed for the scandalous Viennese artist Egon Schiele – and the price they paid for their devotion. It won the Impress Prize for New Writers, was longlisted for the Historical Writers’ Association Debut Crown Award, and was named one of The Times’ Best Historical Fiction Books of 2022. Translated into seven languages, its Italian edition, Le Fiamme, won the prestigious Premio Letterario Edoardo Kihlgren in 2024.
Her second novel, Madame Matisse, shines a light on the women who shaped and defined the great French artist Henri Matisse, challenging the idea that history belongs only to men. At its heart is an explosive ultimatum – one that has never before been written about in fiction – that changed the lives of all involved, and the course of art history forever.
As curator of the Folkestone Book Festival, Sophie brings together bold and inspiring voices – from bestselling authors to emerging talent – to challenge, entertain, and celebrate the power of storytelling. She curates a thought-provoking programme that sparks conversation and fosters creativity, ensuring literature remains a vital force in the community.
As part of her role at Creative Folkestone, she also spearheads Folkestone is a Library, an ambitious campaign to keep books and reading at the heart of the town following the closure of its library. Through events, collaborations, and community initiatives, she works to ensure Folkestone remains a place where stories – and those who tell them – are valued and celebrated.
A seasoned journalist, Sophie has interviewed literary icons including Hilary Mantel, Bernardine Evaristo, Sally Rooney, Maggie O’Farrell and Amy Tan. Her writing has appeared in The Sunday Times, Financial Times, and The Guardian. She has worked behind the scenes of the Sunday Times Short Story Award and serves as Associate Director of the Word Factory, supporting emerging voices. She is also a judge for leading short story prizes, including the Bath Short Story Award and the Society of Authors' ALCS Tom-Gallon Trust Award. Her own short story, Mudlarks, was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2023.
Beyond writing, Sophie is an engaging speaker and interviewer. She has appeared at Hay, Cheltenham, and other major literary festivals, and has spoken at the National Gallery, Sotheby’s, and The Trouble Club. She frequently interviews authors at live events for Hatchards and Fane Productions.
Sophie is preparing for an Arctic Circle residency in May 2025, where she will research and write about survival, wreckage, and resilience in extreme conditions.
In her spare time, continuing her fascination with unearthing lost stories – both in fiction and in life – Sophie is a dedicated mudlark, scouring the River Thames for historical artefacts that reveal forgotten histories. She is also a marathon runner, taking on the world’s most iconic races, one at a time.
Her Instagram account, @egonschieleswomen, has gathered over 111,000 followers, where she shares her love of art, literature, and forgotten histories.
She loves connecting with readers – find her at sophie-haydock.com or chat with her directly on Skolay: skolay.com/writers/sophie-haydock
Her debut novel, The Flames, brings to life the women who posed for the scandalous Viennese artist Egon Schiele – and the price they paid for their devotion. It won the Impress Prize for New Writers, was longlisted for the Historical Writers’ Association Debut Crown Award, and was named one of The Times’ Best Historical Fiction Books of 2022. Translated into seven languages, its Italian edition, Le Fiamme, won the prestigious Premio Letterario Edoardo Kihlgren in 2024.
Her second novel, Madame Matisse, shines a light on the women who shaped and defined the great French artist Henri Matisse, challenging the idea that history belongs only to men. At its heart is an explosive ultimatum – one that has never before been written about in fiction – that changed the lives of all involved, and the course of art history forever.
As curator of the Folkestone Book Festival, Sophie brings together bold and inspiring voices – from bestselling authors to emerging talent – to challenge, entertain, and celebrate the power of storytelling. She curates a thought-provoking programme that sparks conversation and fosters creativity, ensuring literature remains a vital force in the community.
As part of her role at Creative Folkestone, she also spearheads Folkestone is a Library, an ambitious campaign to keep books and reading at the heart of the town following the closure of its library. Through events, collaborations, and community initiatives, she works to ensure Folkestone remains a place where stories – and those who tell them – are valued and celebrated.
A seasoned journalist, Sophie has interviewed literary icons including Hilary Mantel, Bernardine Evaristo, Sally Rooney, Maggie O’Farrell and Amy Tan. Her writing has appeared in The Sunday Times, Financial Times, and The Guardian. She has worked behind the scenes of the Sunday Times Short Story Award and serves as Associate Director of the Word Factory, supporting emerging voices. She is also a judge for leading short story prizes, including the Bath Short Story Award and the Society of Authors' ALCS Tom-Gallon Trust Award. Her own short story, Mudlarks, was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2023.
Beyond writing, Sophie is an engaging speaker and interviewer. She has appeared at Hay, Cheltenham, and other major literary festivals, and has spoken at the National Gallery, Sotheby’s, and The Trouble Club. She frequently interviews authors at live events for Hatchards and Fane Productions.
Sophie is preparing for an Arctic Circle residency in May 2025, where she will research and write about survival, wreckage, and resilience in extreme conditions.
In her spare time, continuing her fascination with unearthing lost stories – both in fiction and in life – Sophie is a dedicated mudlark, scouring the River Thames for historical artefacts that reveal forgotten histories. She is also a marathon runner, taking on the world’s most iconic races, one at a time.
Her Instagram account, @egonschieleswomen, has gathered over 111,000 followers, where she shares her love of art, literature, and forgotten histories.
She loves connecting with readers – find her at sophie-haydock.com or chat with her directly on Skolay: skolay.com/writers/sophie-haydock
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
September 10, 2024
Nice 1939
Madame Amélie Matisse, wife of celebrated artist Henri, suffers chronic pain and has employed mysterious Russian émigré Lydia Delectorskaya since 1932 to help her in the home. Initially, Amélie has nothing to fear from the much younger woman but now Lydia has ‘invaded’ the household and seems to have laid claim to the affections of Henri, pushing Madame Matisse to the sidelines. Despite what Lydia claims, Amélie knows this is a battle for control and caught in the middle is Henri’s daughter Marguerite. This latest novel from Sophie Haydock takes the reader back to Paris of 1897 to Amélie and Henri’s first meeting and takes the storytelling on a journey to post World War Two.
One thing I learn very early on as a history graduate and teacher, is that truth is often stranger that fiction and aspects of this fascinating story bear this out as there are plenty of surprises in store. All the central protagonists are interesting. I knew nothing about the women in Matisse’s life and precious little about him beyond his works so learning about them all has been very rewarding. I especially enjoy when the couple are first in each other’s company as this is a meeting of two unconventional souls. I especially admire Amélie’s independence of spirit and pragmatism which is well ahead of her time. Things change as they often do as she hitches her wagon to the eventual success of her husband. Lydia’s story, traced from 1917 is interesting and the author does a good job on capturing a sense of her as she does of Marguerite. There are moments when each of them acts in a remarkable way which often impacts the others. You also witness what they are pushed to or risk when events dramatically change.
I love the art elements and Matisse is an artist whose work I like and have been lucky to view some of his pieces in various galleries. One of the things I enjoy most via the novel is looking up the art pieces that are mentioned which sheds new light on them, adding an extra dimension to the story.
Although I do enjoy this, after all I’ve rated it 4 stars, and it’s also fair to say my interest in their stories does not wane. However, I do think that the narrative feels a bit detached at times, reading like a biography. This may of course be a deliberate choice by the author but as there are moments of high drama I personally would like a bit more fire.
Overall though, it’s a good read and one I can recommend to fans of historical fiction and/or art and artists. I would also like to mention how fantastic the cover is which perfectly captures the novel.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House U.K., Transworld, Doubleday for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
Madame Amélie Matisse, wife of celebrated artist Henri, suffers chronic pain and has employed mysterious Russian émigré Lydia Delectorskaya since 1932 to help her in the home. Initially, Amélie has nothing to fear from the much younger woman but now Lydia has ‘invaded’ the household and seems to have laid claim to the affections of Henri, pushing Madame Matisse to the sidelines. Despite what Lydia claims, Amélie knows this is a battle for control and caught in the middle is Henri’s daughter Marguerite. This latest novel from Sophie Haydock takes the reader back to Paris of 1897 to Amélie and Henri’s first meeting and takes the storytelling on a journey to post World War Two.
One thing I learn very early on as a history graduate and teacher, is that truth is often stranger that fiction and aspects of this fascinating story bear this out as there are plenty of surprises in store. All the central protagonists are interesting. I knew nothing about the women in Matisse’s life and precious little about him beyond his works so learning about them all has been very rewarding. I especially enjoy when the couple are first in each other’s company as this is a meeting of two unconventional souls. I especially admire Amélie’s independence of spirit and pragmatism which is well ahead of her time. Things change as they often do as she hitches her wagon to the eventual success of her husband. Lydia’s story, traced from 1917 is interesting and the author does a good job on capturing a sense of her as she does of Marguerite. There are moments when each of them acts in a remarkable way which often impacts the others. You also witness what they are pushed to or risk when events dramatically change.
I love the art elements and Matisse is an artist whose work I like and have been lucky to view some of his pieces in various galleries. One of the things I enjoy most via the novel is looking up the art pieces that are mentioned which sheds new light on them, adding an extra dimension to the story.
Although I do enjoy this, after all I’ve rated it 4 stars, and it’s also fair to say my interest in their stories does not wane. However, I do think that the narrative feels a bit detached at times, reading like a biography. This may of course be a deliberate choice by the author but as there are moments of high drama I personally would like a bit more fire.
Overall though, it’s a good read and one I can recommend to fans of historical fiction and/or art and artists. I would also like to mention how fantastic the cover is which perfectly captures the novel.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House U.K., Transworld, Doubleday for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
May 19, 2025
3.5/5
Żałuję, ale nie dorównała „Czterem muzom” autorki — miałam wrażenie jakby od pewnego momentu ta historia po prostu przeze mnie przepłynęła.
Żałuję, ale nie dorównała „Czterem muzom” autorki — miałam wrażenie jakby od pewnego momentu ta historia po prostu przeze mnie przepłynęła.
July 26, 2025
Powieść o odwadze i poświęceniu, bez którego nie moglibyśmy dziś podziwiać dzieł słynnego malarza jakim jest Matisse.
Aż mam ochotę teraz powiesić sobie w domu jeden z jego obrazów ;)
Aż mam ochotę teraz powiesić sobie w domu jeden z jego obrazów ;)
March 7, 2025
When I read Sophie Haydock's debut book The Flames in 2022, I did not know the movement she had started to celebrate the unnamed women models of famous paintings. I started following @egonschieleswomen that told the stories of four women who modelled for Egon Schieles - an artist whose work was dubbed pornographic and insulting.
In this book, she chooses Henri Matisse, the famous French artist whose works and artistic career is mostly recorded and respected. Founder of Fauvism, he was written off as a rebel. This book is not just about him, but about three women who have modelled for his famous paintings.
His wife Adele was his making as an artist, believing in his potential and supporting him when he was struggling. The first part of the book is well written with Amelie's resolve and strength becoming the headline. She goes out of her way to inspire him under tough circumstances with three children, one from an earlier marriage of Henri. When we see her paintings acknowledged, we feel vindicated.
We meet Amelie as a old woman now and the story shifts to Lydia, a runaway orphan from Russia, now a woman who became Amelie's caretaker in the Matisse household. She carries around a suitcase with a gun and her love life with a Russian gambler is not much to write about. How she came to become the muse for Matisse in his old age to reinvent his approach and the dynamics in the household becomes the second part.
The third part is about Henri's daughter Marguerite. This part was a bit two shaded especially the parts after the fall of Paris in 1939 resulting in a war. Her covert operation in the war and her arrests seem part of a different book given Henri no longer painted her.
All three women were Madame Matisse at some point of time and the book tries to capture their lives beyond the canvas of a painter. Very readable and I personally am a fan of what she is trying to achieve.
Thank you RandomHouse UK and Netgalley for the ARC. This book is getting published in March 2025.
Happy Publishing Day!
In this book, she chooses Henri Matisse, the famous French artist whose works and artistic career is mostly recorded and respected. Founder of Fauvism, he was written off as a rebel. This book is not just about him, but about three women who have modelled for his famous paintings.
His wife Adele was his making as an artist, believing in his potential and supporting him when he was struggling. The first part of the book is well written with Amelie's resolve and strength becoming the headline. She goes out of her way to inspire him under tough circumstances with three children, one from an earlier marriage of Henri. When we see her paintings acknowledged, we feel vindicated.
We meet Amelie as a old woman now and the story shifts to Lydia, a runaway orphan from Russia, now a woman who became Amelie's caretaker in the Matisse household. She carries around a suitcase with a gun and her love life with a Russian gambler is not much to write about. How she came to become the muse for Matisse in his old age to reinvent his approach and the dynamics in the household becomes the second part.
The third part is about Henri's daughter Marguerite. This part was a bit two shaded especially the parts after the fall of Paris in 1939 resulting in a war. Her covert operation in the war and her arrests seem part of a different book given Henri no longer painted her.
All three women were Madame Matisse at some point of time and the book tries to capture their lives beyond the canvas of a painter. Very readable and I personally am a fan of what she is trying to achieve.
Thank you RandomHouse UK and Netgalley for the ARC. This book is getting published in March 2025.
Happy Publishing Day!
September 12, 2025
3.5 stars. Historical fiction telling the story of the three women pivotal to Henri Matisse’s success: his wife Amélie, daughter Marguerite and housekeeper turned model/assistant Lydia.
I found Lydia’s story in particular the most engaging but although I liked it, I couldn’t help but draw comparisons between this and another book group read Costanza by Rachel Blackmore. Both books have a feminist slant, both tell the true story of an artist’s muses, both feature women who were double-crossed or treated badly.
I would have to say I preferred Costanza as it was written in the first person. Madame Matisse has a third person narrative which left me feeling detached from the women and not feeling as invested in their plights.
I found Lydia’s story in particular the most engaging but although I liked it, I couldn’t help but draw comparisons between this and another book group read Costanza by Rachel Blackmore. Both books have a feminist slant, both tell the true story of an artist’s muses, both feature women who were double-crossed or treated badly.
I would have to say I preferred Costanza as it was written in the first person. Madame Matisse has a third person narrative which left me feeling detached from the women and not feeling as invested in their plights.
September 25, 2024
Based on historical research, the author gives us the story of Matisse's career through the eyes of the three, main women in his life. His wife, his longest serving assistant and his daughter all get their moment in the spotlight to reflect on what it is to live in the shadow of a man who was essentially wedded to his art with a singular passion. I only knew a bit about Matisse before starting this and after I'd finished it I did a bit of reading about his life and was impressed by the author's ability to stay so close to the facts of the story and make the fictionalised elements work so seamlessly with them. I really enjoyed this book.
May 13, 2025
Seria butikowa jest dla mnie od lat gwarantem poruszającej, wysublimowanej i wartościowej literatury pięknej. W maju dołączyła do niej kolejna znakomitość w odważnych, kontrastujących barwach, nawiązujących do stylu Henriego Matisse’a, jednego z najwybitniejszych francuskich malarzy XX wieku. Sophie Haydock w „Madame Matisse” skupia się jednak nie na artyście, a na kobietach jego życia. Bo wiadomo, że za każdym wielkim twórcą stoi kobieta. A czasem trzy.
Po lekturze „Czterech muz”, debiucie Autorki, którym zachwyciłam się przed trzema laty, wiedziałam że mogę spodziewać się hipnotyzującej opowieści o kobiecych losach w cieniu wielkiego talentu. Subtelnej, emocjonalnej i głęboko poruszającej. Styl Haydock jest niezwykle plastyczny, zmysłowy, pełen barw, faktur i emocji, które przenikają przez skórę czytelnika. Ona pisze tak, jak Matisse malował, śmiało, odważnie, ale z ukrytą melancholią i czułością. Czasem delikatnie jak muśnięcie światła na płótnie, innym razem brutalnie jak czerwień rozlana na bieli.
Choć w tytule tej powieści to nazwisko Matisse przyciąga uwagę, to, tak jak wspominałam, przede wszystkim historia trzech kobiet – Amelie, Lidii i Marguerite – które kochały, wspierały, inspirowały i z czasem traciły samą siebie w cieniu geniusza. Matisse, wizjoner i buntownik, którego sztuka początkowo była wyśmiewana i niedoceniana, zyskał sławę w dużej mierze dzięki nim i ich miłości, niezłomnej wierze i poświęceniu. Ale sukces, jak farba na palecie, nie rozlewa się równomiernie. Ktoś musi zniknąć, by ktoś inny mógł błyszczeć.
Amelie, jego żona przez wiele lat, niczym opoka i cicha siła, oddała wszystko - godność, ambicje, a nawet biżuterię i kawałek duszy. Jej życie jest jak obraz pełen pastelowych barw, które z czasem blakną, aż zostaje tylko podpis w rogu, „Madame Matisse”. Lidia, uchodźczyni z Rosji, która przeszła przez piekło wojny, ucieczki i śmierci, odnajduje sens w ciele, które staje się natchnieniem dla wielkiego artysty. Z ich relacji wyłania się portret kobiety-muzy, która może obdarzyć życiem… i odebrać je sobie. Wreszcie jego córka Marguerite, zawsze szczery głos wsparcia, ale też oporu i wolności, którego nie da się zignorować, nawet w cieniu wielkiego malarza.
„Madame Matisse” to powieść, która z misterną lekkością łączy literacką fikcję z faktami, czerpiąc z historii sztuki, wydarzeń z życia Henriego Matisse’a i tworząc sugestywny obraz epoki. Autorka znakomicie oddaje klimat pierwszej połowy XX wieku we Francji pełen artystycznych fermentów, przemian, ludzkich dramatów i naznaczenia wojną.
To historia o miłości i jej kosztach. O twórczości, która rodzi się z bólu i zachwytu. O kobietach, które stały za wielkim nazwiskiem, ale nie były tylko jego tłem. Nie wahajcie się po nią sięgnąć i spojrzeć na artystę z zupełnie innej perspektywy - oczami trzech kobiet jego życia.
Po lekturze „Czterech muz”, debiucie Autorki, którym zachwyciłam się przed trzema laty, wiedziałam że mogę spodziewać się hipnotyzującej opowieści o kobiecych losach w cieniu wielkiego talentu. Subtelnej, emocjonalnej i głęboko poruszającej. Styl Haydock jest niezwykle plastyczny, zmysłowy, pełen barw, faktur i emocji, które przenikają przez skórę czytelnika. Ona pisze tak, jak Matisse malował, śmiało, odważnie, ale z ukrytą melancholią i czułością. Czasem delikatnie jak muśnięcie światła na płótnie, innym razem brutalnie jak czerwień rozlana na bieli.
Choć w tytule tej powieści to nazwisko Matisse przyciąga uwagę, to, tak jak wspominałam, przede wszystkim historia trzech kobiet – Amelie, Lidii i Marguerite – które kochały, wspierały, inspirowały i z czasem traciły samą siebie w cieniu geniusza. Matisse, wizjoner i buntownik, którego sztuka początkowo była wyśmiewana i niedoceniana, zyskał sławę w dużej mierze dzięki nim i ich miłości, niezłomnej wierze i poświęceniu. Ale sukces, jak farba na palecie, nie rozlewa się równomiernie. Ktoś musi zniknąć, by ktoś inny mógł błyszczeć.
Amelie, jego żona przez wiele lat, niczym opoka i cicha siła, oddała wszystko - godność, ambicje, a nawet biżuterię i kawałek duszy. Jej życie jest jak obraz pełen pastelowych barw, które z czasem blakną, aż zostaje tylko podpis w rogu, „Madame Matisse”. Lidia, uchodźczyni z Rosji, która przeszła przez piekło wojny, ucieczki i śmierci, odnajduje sens w ciele, które staje się natchnieniem dla wielkiego artysty. Z ich relacji wyłania się portret kobiety-muzy, która może obdarzyć życiem… i odebrać je sobie. Wreszcie jego córka Marguerite, zawsze szczery głos wsparcia, ale też oporu i wolności, którego nie da się zignorować, nawet w cieniu wielkiego malarza.
„Madame Matisse” to powieść, która z misterną lekkością łączy literacką fikcję z faktami, czerpiąc z historii sztuki, wydarzeń z życia Henriego Matisse’a i tworząc sugestywny obraz epoki. Autorka znakomicie oddaje klimat pierwszej połowy XX wieku we Francji pełen artystycznych fermentów, przemian, ludzkich dramatów i naznaczenia wojną.
To historia o miłości i jej kosztach. O twórczości, która rodzi się z bólu i zachwytu. O kobietach, które stały za wielkim nazwiskiem, ale nie były tylko jego tłem. Nie wahajcie się po nią sięgnąć i spojrzeć na artystę z zupełnie innej perspektywy - oczami trzech kobiet jego życia.
October 1, 2025
Bardzo ciekawa historia. Nie spodziewałam się, że mnie tak wciągnie
February 6, 2025
Last year I read The Flames by Sophie Haydock and I was instantly impressed with her writing and her storytelling ability. I’ve been looking forward to another one of her books ever since.
Madame Matisse is the story of the three women who featured prominently in the life of the French artist Henri Matisse. The book is less a story about his rise to fame and more about his relationship with his wife, his daughter and his assistant. The drama and emotion is played out through their eyes which brings a different perspective to the events that unfold.
I didn’t actually know a lot about Matisse before reading this. I wasn’t familiar with his personal life or some of his most well known paintings. (My favourite is his 1905 painting, The Open Window). I think Haydock has a wonderful ability to meticulously research her subjects and then bring them alive on the page. She stays true to the facts, while imagining some aspects of the story.
I really enjoyed this insight into the 1930’s art world and the lives of the women that crossed paths with Matisse before his death. I would highly recommend this book for art lovers and historical fiction fans alike.
Madame Matisse is the story of the three women who featured prominently in the life of the French artist Henri Matisse. The book is less a story about his rise to fame and more about his relationship with his wife, his daughter and his assistant. The drama and emotion is played out through their eyes which brings a different perspective to the events that unfold.
I didn’t actually know a lot about Matisse before reading this. I wasn’t familiar with his personal life or some of his most well known paintings. (My favourite is his 1905 painting, The Open Window). I think Haydock has a wonderful ability to meticulously research her subjects and then bring them alive on the page. She stays true to the facts, while imagining some aspects of the story.
I really enjoyed this insight into the 1930’s art world and the lives of the women that crossed paths with Matisse before his death. I would highly recommend this book for art lovers and historical fiction fans alike.
March 22, 2025
Based on fact, Madame Matisse by Sophie Haydock is about the most important women in the life of the famous artist, Henri Matisse - his wife Amelie, his daughter Marguerite, and his assistant Lydia.
Set in 1930s France, the artist’s muses orbit him like moons around a planet…until they come into collision.
It took me a little bit to get into - credibility is always difficult when you’re putting words into the mouths of real people. But I clicked into it, the colour, the heat, but mainly the characters, as I became invested in their amazing lives. I googled a few facts and paintings which helped support the incredible stories of these women and by the end, loved the book.
Thanks to NetGalley for a drc to review in my own words
#matisse #madameMatisse #art #sophiehaydock #muse #artist #bookreview #bookrecommendation
Set in 1930s France, the artist’s muses orbit him like moons around a planet…until they come into collision.
It took me a little bit to get into - credibility is always difficult when you’re putting words into the mouths of real people. But I clicked into it, the colour, the heat, but mainly the characters, as I became invested in their amazing lives. I googled a few facts and paintings which helped support the incredible stories of these women and by the end, loved the book.
Thanks to NetGalley for a drc to review in my own words
#matisse #madameMatisse #art #sophiehaydock #muse #artist #bookreview #bookrecommendation
March 9, 2025
"Behind every great man is a strong woman "(Meryll Frost)
A book was well written, simple to follow and addictive. I was on the edge of my seat while reading it.
"This is a story of three women- one an orphan and refugee who finds a place in studio of famous French artists, the other a wife and mother who has stood by her husband fir nearly 40 years.The third is his daughter, caught in the crossfire between her mother and a father"
What links this three women? - they stand behind French artists Henry Matisse.
"Based on a true story, Madame Matisse is a stunning novel about drama and betrayal, emotion and sex, glamour and tragedy, all set in the hotbed of the 1930s art movement in France. In art, as in life, thus time when the rules were made to be broken..."
I have nothing more to add... Absolutely beautiful book. Read it , you will not be disappointed
A book was well written, simple to follow and addictive. I was on the edge of my seat while reading it.
"This is a story of three women- one an orphan and refugee who finds a place in studio of famous French artists, the other a wife and mother who has stood by her husband fir nearly 40 years.The third is his daughter, caught in the crossfire between her mother and a father"
What links this three women? - they stand behind French artists Henry Matisse.
"Based on a true story, Madame Matisse is a stunning novel about drama and betrayal, emotion and sex, glamour and tragedy, all set in the hotbed of the 1930s art movement in France. In art, as in life, thus time when the rules were made to be broken..."
I have nothing more to add... Absolutely beautiful book. Read it , you will not be disappointed
October 26, 2025
Esta es una historia en la que conocemos a Amelie Parayre, Marguerite Matisse y Lydia Delectorskaya y, con ellas, le damos la vuelta al clásico «mujeres de».
Aquí, ellas son las protagonistas y la obra del «genio», el telón de fondo. Y no solo para conocer sus individualidades en profundidad mucho más allá del pintor, sino también sus aportaciones a la obra de Matisse en los cuidados, como modelos, como gestoras, como asesoras…
Y la autora invita a reflexionar sobre lo colectivo detrás de esas grandes figuras del arte, sobre lo que esconden y silencian esas etiquetas de «mujer de» y de «genio»
Aquí, ellas son las protagonistas y la obra del «genio», el telón de fondo. Y no solo para conocer sus individualidades en profundidad mucho más allá del pintor, sino también sus aportaciones a la obra de Matisse en los cuidados, como modelos, como gestoras, como asesoras…
Y la autora invita a reflexionar sobre lo colectivo detrás de esas grandes figuras del arte, sobre lo que esconden y silencian esas etiquetas de «mujer de» y de «genio»
November 25, 2025
Madame Matisse, which is based on a true story, is a beautifully written, immersive novel that brings the world of art, love and ambition to life through a vivid, emotionally rich narrative.
I thoroughly enjoyed the way Haydock captures the intensity of creativity and the complexities of the three women who helped shape Matisse’s world. The characters felt alive on the page, full of longing, passion and defiance, and the writing has a lyrical quality that makes the story both intimate and transportive. I really enjoyed this and lovers of art and art history (and of course Matisse himself) will adore this.
I thoroughly enjoyed the way Haydock captures the intensity of creativity and the complexities of the three women who helped shape Matisse’s world. The characters felt alive on the page, full of longing, passion and defiance, and the writing has a lyrical quality that makes the story both intimate and transportive. I really enjoyed this and lovers of art and art history (and of course Matisse himself) will adore this.
August 19, 2025
An auto-read author for me!! I really love Haydock’s writing and the way she brings to life the stories of the invisible women orbiting famous artists. Being set in France was just the cherry on top of a fabulous book, and now I’m keen to read more about Henri Matisse’s life, as well as delve deeper into Marguerite and Amelie’s experiences during WWII.
May 14, 2025
Ta książka była po prostu okej. Słaby początek i bardzo dobre zakończenie. Jest dla mnie jednak czymś innym niż opowieścią o muzach, zdradzie i pasji, bardziej jest dla mnie opowieścią o poświęceniu - mało tu namiętności, jak na to jak jest promowana
April 7, 2025
4-4.5 stars. Firstly, what a beautiful cover for the hardback. A stunning creation!
Having read The Flames and adored it, I knew this book would be another great read. Sophie Haydock writes brilliantly in a narrational style again and her research must be arduous and meticulous to produce these novels. Once again she focuses on the women behind the artist - family members and models - and this gives a fantastic opportunity to tell the story of Matisse from different perspectives. It seems the family were pretty harsh and judgemental on his later life companion Lydia who dedicated herself to serving him so he could continue to work right up until his death.
I found the section on his daughter Marguerite working for the resistance didn’t really fit with the rest of the book and almost diverted off into a different novel, but I guess it’s history needed including in some capacity.
I knew nothing of Matisse and often paused reading to look up the paintings referenced in the book which added to the experience.
A fantastic historical novel and I learnt a lot in the process.
Having read The Flames and adored it, I knew this book would be another great read. Sophie Haydock writes brilliantly in a narrational style again and her research must be arduous and meticulous to produce these novels. Once again she focuses on the women behind the artist - family members and models - and this gives a fantastic opportunity to tell the story of Matisse from different perspectives. It seems the family were pretty harsh and judgemental on his later life companion Lydia who dedicated herself to serving him so he could continue to work right up until his death.
I found the section on his daughter Marguerite working for the resistance didn’t really fit with the rest of the book and almost diverted off into a different novel, but I guess it’s history needed including in some capacity.
I knew nothing of Matisse and often paused reading to look up the paintings referenced in the book which added to the experience.
A fantastic historical novel and I learnt a lot in the process.
May 27, 2025
"Madame Matisse" przybliża postać słynnego francuskiego artysty, ale nieco przewrotnie skupia się wcale nie na osobie Henri Matisse'a, a postaciach z "drugiego planu" - trzech kobietach, które odegrały w jego życiu znaczącą rolę:
Jego żonie, Amelie.
Nieślubnej córce, Marguerite.
Oraz Lidii, rosyjskiej emigrantce z zagadkową przeszłością, która została jego tzw. asystentką.
Wszystkie trzy panie były mu bardzo oddane i uwikłane zarówno we wzajemne, niełatwe relacje, jak i w życie w cieniu jego sztuki - konkurentki, z którą ostatecznie żadna z nich nie miała szans.
Przyznam, że Matisse'a znałam dotąd jedynie z nazwiska, nie kojarząc ani jego dzieł, ani tym bardziej szczegółów z jego życia prywatnego, a że lubię fabularyzowane biografie, z chwilą pojawienia się "Madame Matisse" w tej obłędnie kolorowej okładce, poczułam się conajmniej zaintrygowana. Świat francuskiej artystycznej bohemy, pasja tworzenia, miłość dla której odrzuca się konwenanse, niespełnione ambicje, rywalizacja, a to wszystko w otoczce skandalu i z wojenną zawieruchą w tle - to kawał materiału na fascynującą historię.
I rzeczywiście, to powieść bogata w treść, barwna, chwilami nawet czarująca. Mam jednak wrażenie, że bez głębi, bez refleksji, bez większych emocji. Chyba najlepiej odnajdą się w jej klimacie ci, którzy serio interesują się sztuką, czują artystyczny vibe, i którzy znajdą w tej książce wartości i kwestie istotniejsze od wciągającej fabuły.
Mnie w tej historii, subtelnej niczym muśnięcia pędzla po płótnie, czegoś jednak zabrakło.
May 29, 2025
enjoyed the book and the entangled womens stories
I didn’t know much about Henri Matisse. I enjoyed the creativity of this book. How the 3 ladies lives intertwined around him.
Well written about the changing times of the world and the path each lady followed. His wife Adeline daughter Margarite and his assistant,Lydia and how she impacted the family dynamic between them all, in a negative way. It inspired Henri to produce his best work.
His wife gave Henri an ultimatum between herself and Lydia,who had been living with them for 10 years as her help and Henris assistant.
He chose her but she knew he was really in love with Lydia.
I enjoy reading the historical aspects of this book and learning about the artist,how he struggled and then people acknowledged his work.
I didn’t know much about Henri Matisse. I enjoyed the creativity of this book. How the 3 ladies lives intertwined around him.
Well written about the changing times of the world and the path each lady followed. His wife Adeline daughter Margarite and his assistant,Lydia and how she impacted the family dynamic between them all, in a negative way. It inspired Henri to produce his best work.
His wife gave Henri an ultimatum between herself and Lydia,who had been living with them for 10 years as her help and Henris assistant.
He chose her but she knew he was really in love with Lydia.
I enjoy reading the historical aspects of this book and learning about the artist,how he struggled and then people acknowledged his work.
October 29, 2025
Easy and enjoyable to read. I knew a little bit about Matisse’s life before reading the novel, but I always find stories about the women who created the spaces for artists’ success or inspired their creativity fascinating.
I have to confess that at the beginning I felt quite frustrated with Amelie’s unconditional support — I couldn’t fully understand her — but in the end, I appreciated how her story unfolded. As for Lydia, I’m still unsure about the kind of love she felt for Henri, though I sense it was more of a paternal kind.
I have to confess that at the beginning I felt quite frustrated with Amelie’s unconditional support — I couldn’t fully understand her — but in the end, I appreciated how her story unfolded. As for Lydia, I’m still unsure about the kind of love she felt for Henri, though I sense it was more of a paternal kind.
April 16, 2025
4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
Engaging exploration of the life of Henri Matisse the artist and the three women that played an immense role in his life: his wife, his muse and his daughter.
Beautifully written.
I listened to this on Audible and highly recommend the audiobook.
Engaging exploration of the life of Henri Matisse the artist and the three women that played an immense role in his life: his wife, his muse and his daughter.
Beautifully written.
I listened to this on Audible and highly recommend the audiobook.
June 24, 2025
Madame Matisse didn't grab me as much as Flames, but nevertheless, I enjoyed it and really look forward to the author's 3rd novel 😀
July 14, 2025
Life as the great artist’s partner wasn’t straightforward! I don’t know how much of this novel is based on fact, but it was a great read. Not a happy story though!
January 11, 2026
i really liked the premise of this and found it a really interesting read. however, sometimes i found the writing to be a little repetitive
July 2, 2025
audiobook
December 25, 2025
Bardzo pięknie napisana książka, która bardzo wciąga w życie artysty i jego rodziny.
June 8, 2025
2.5 - bardzo średnia
December 9, 2025
Después de "Clairmont" y "Florenzer" me encontré con una nueva lectura relacionada con el mundo del arte y eso siempre es algo que disfruto.
En esta novela conocemos a Amélie, Lydia y Marguerite, tres mujeres totalmente diferentes que tienen en común su relación con el pintor francés Henri Matisse. En base a estas tres mujeres, la autora construye un relato que nos permite no solo conocer un poco más sobre este autor y su obra, sino que hace un retrato de la Francia de los años 30, de la vanguardia artística y de la llegada del nazismo al país.
Está basado en hechos reales y escrito de una forma amena que resulta muy entretenida para el lector.
Los personajes están bien definidos y me ha encantado que se centre en las figuras femeninas, en el papel que desarrollaron en la vida del pintor pasa ayudarle a conseguir sus objetivos. La que más me ha sorprendido es Marguerite, sin lugar a dudas.
Y no puedo dejar de destacar la traducción llevaba a cabo por @xavier__beltran . Es un aspecto muy importante y muchas veces no se cuida , haciendo que buenas historias pierdan su atractivo por una traducción poco cuidada. Así que enhorabuena 👏🏼
Una novela sencilla , efectiva y que me ha parecido muy interesante ( y me ha hecho ir a buscar más información sobre alguno de los personajes).
"Qué cruel es que el dinero, o la interminable falta de él, defina la vida de una persona".
En esta novela conocemos a Amélie, Lydia y Marguerite, tres mujeres totalmente diferentes que tienen en común su relación con el pintor francés Henri Matisse. En base a estas tres mujeres, la autora construye un relato que nos permite no solo conocer un poco más sobre este autor y su obra, sino que hace un retrato de la Francia de los años 30, de la vanguardia artística y de la llegada del nazismo al país.
Está basado en hechos reales y escrito de una forma amena que resulta muy entretenida para el lector.
Los personajes están bien definidos y me ha encantado que se centre en las figuras femeninas, en el papel que desarrollaron en la vida del pintor pasa ayudarle a conseguir sus objetivos. La que más me ha sorprendido es Marguerite, sin lugar a dudas.
Y no puedo dejar de destacar la traducción llevaba a cabo por @xavier__beltran . Es un aspecto muy importante y muchas veces no se cuida , haciendo que buenas historias pierdan su atractivo por una traducción poco cuidada. Así que enhorabuena 👏🏼
Una novela sencilla , efectiva y que me ha parecido muy interesante ( y me ha hecho ir a buscar más información sobre alguno de los personajes).
"Qué cruel es que el dinero, o la interminable falta de él, defina la vida de una persona".
November 10, 2025
One of the questions the reader will have is “how much of this is real life and how much is fiction?”
The writing is stilted and bland. There are none of the beautifully written phrases that a reader cherishes.
I am quite disappointed with the dullness of such a setting, where is the sultry warmth of the South, where is the harshness of the war and imprisonment? I don’t think I have a novel where the beauty of France has been so forgotten.
The writing is stilted and bland. There are none of the beautifully written phrases that a reader cherishes.
I am quite disappointed with the dullness of such a setting, where is the sultry warmth of the South, where is the harshness of the war and imprisonment? I don’t think I have a novel where the beauty of France has been so forgotten.
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