The twentieth century left a deep mark on the fates of millions of our compatriots, scattering them across the world. Some of them reached incredible heights and entered history. Lidia Nikolaevna Delektorskaya's life is full of unexpected and tragic turns. She was born on June 23, 1910, into a family of doctors from Tomsk. Their happy life was shattered by revolutionary upheavals. The Civil War became a turning point, dividing Lidia's life into 'before' and 'after.' At the age of 13, she lost her parents and learned to survive on her own until her aunt took her to Harbin, where thousands of White émigrés were already living.

Upon reaching adulthood, Lidia married and, at 19, moved to Paris with her husband, where she soon divorced. She had to cope alone again in a foreign city, but fate brought her together with the famous artist Henri Matisse, who was over 40 years her senior. At first, she worked for him as a secretary and model, then became a caregiver for his sick wife, moving in with them. Their relationship was complicated: Matisse's wife was jealous and once insisted that Lidia leave the house. This nearly led the girl to tragedy, but after Matisse separated from his wife, she became the most important woman in his life. For 22 years, she was by Henri's side, supporting him in everything. This couple left a significant mark in the history of art. Henri died on November 3, 1954, at nearly 85 years old, and Lidia outlived him by 44 years, passing away on March 16, 1998.

In addition to working with Matisse, Lidia Nikolaevna corresponded with Paustovsky and maintained friendships with many famous people. According to her will, after her death, she was buried not in Paris, but in Pavlovsk. In the last twenty years, many films have been made about their relationship, and they have become the subjects of exhibitions and books. Thus unfolded the fate of a young orphan from Tomsk, who was forced to live her entire life far from her homeland, starting anew with pain in her soul.