EPPH - Every Painter Paints Himself

Just as we show elsewhere that Matisse’s maid is an alter ego of Matisse so here, in Rivers’ variation, the maid becomes an alter ego of Rivers.

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Study the three heads (from left: Matisse’s maid, Rivers’ maid and a photo of Rivers) to see how the American artist ever so subtly changed his copy of the maid’s nose to suggest his own hooked proboscis while altering her hair-do to resemble his as well. In eliminating the high collar of the maid’s dress, he also suggested the familiar V-neck of the black T-shirt he so often wore when painting. 

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There can be no doubt, then, that Rivers’ maid is Rivers. Thus, in placing an image of the real Matisse behind the maid, who is the alter ego of both Matisse and Rivers, Rivers creates the Double Portrait of Matisse in his title. He both cites Matisse as his inspiration and seems to claim for himself some kind of artistic descent from the earlier master.

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Fully aware that Matisse’s original (at left) is an image of Matisse’s studio in Matisse’s mind, Rivers also changed the apparent view through the window to one of Matisse’s actual paintings, The Dance.

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Lastly, it may be significant that Rivers changed all the blue vines and flowers in the tablecloth and wall to green, the color of fertility. There is a possibility that he recognized Matisse’s eyes behind the two large flowers near the lower edge. (See Matisse’s Red Harmony) If he did and Rivers' eyes were green (though I do not know their color) the change would further support this reading.

NB. If anybody remembers the color of Rivers’ eyes, please let me know.

See note below