This is partly because the Matisse family has been very judicious about licensing Henri’s art to create products, which is quite different from other well-known artists, like Vincent Van Gogh.

“It’s always been clay,” Alex Matisse told me of his choice medium. The material suits him: he’s a trained potter and a co-founder of East Fork, a ceramics company rooted in tradition.

Matisse and Marguerite Through Her Father’s Eyes” showcases more than a hundred artworks that capture the spirit of his most constant model.