Study of a Woman

Henri MatisseWW-1939-048530

1939·Charcoal, with smudging, on cream laid paper·48.5 × 37.6 cm (19 1/8 × 14 13/16 in.)

<p>Study of a Woman is related to Matisse’s painting La Musique (1939), and represents one of the two women pictured in the canvas. Rather than a traditional study, however, the drawing was an exercise in invention and variation, a way for Matisse to organize his thoughts and clarify his means before returning to the painting.</p> <p>The tactile quality of Matisse’s exploration is found in the velvety deposits of charcoal left in the dark outline of the model’s features, her softly smudged skin and hair, and the brilliant areas of white left to describe her dress.</p>

Catalogue

Year: 1939
Medium: Charcoal, with smudging, on cream laid paper
Dimensions: 48.5 × 37.6 cm (19 1/8 × 14 13/16 in.)
Collection: Art Institute of Chicago
Artist: Henri Matisse

Artist

Henri Matisse

Painting

H enri Matisse, a leading force of modern art and founding figure of Fauvism, transformed vibrant color and bold form into a signature style that reshaped 20th-century aesthetics—from early radical experiments to his iconic late-career cut-outs. His works, held in top museums worldwide, remain highly collectible, with a historically strong and reliable market performance.

Le Cateau-Cambrésis, France

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