/Museums
Matisse's Femme au chapeau: A Modern Scandal
May 16 - Sep 20, 2026
Mon, Tue, Fri, Sat-: 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Wed: Closed. Thurs: Noon–8 p.m.
415-357-4000
About
Experience the moment Matisse used color to break the rules of modern art.
In 1905, Henri Matisse sent shockwaves through the art world with Femme au chapeau (Woman with a Hat), a portrait of his wife, Amélie, painted in bold color and loose brushstrokes that defied convention. This exhibition brings the original stakes into focus and explores the enduring impact of one of Matisse’s most iconic works.
Step into the gallery at the Salon d’Automne where it all began.
Explore a restaging of Femme au chapeau’s public debut in 1905, bringing together the greatest number of works from that historic display in over a century. See why paintings by Matisse, André Derain, Albert Marquet, Maurice de Vlaminck, and others sparked such heated debate and admiration during their time.

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is one of the largest museums of modern and contemporary art in the United States and a thriving cultural center for the Bay Area.
The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is one of the largest museums of modern and contemporary art in the United States and a thriving cultural center for the Bay Area.