Lydia was much more than a model. A Russian émigré, she first began working for Matisse and his wife in 1932, initially as a studio assistant and domestic worker. Matisse began asking her to pose for him a few years later, and she eventually became his principal model, studio assistant and secretary. She remained closely involved with him for the rest of his life.
Matisse became deeply familiar with her appearance and repeatedly returned to her as a subject. Christie’s notes that her distinctive features, particularly her almond-shaped eyes, thin nose and full lips, became important elements in his portraits of her.