Etude au fauteuil rayé 1923

Henri Matisse made this drawing of a woman in a striped chair using a pencil, and it's all about the act of seeing. It's not trying to capture reality, it's more like Matisse is thinking through the shapes as he goes. I'm really drawn to the way he uses shading to suggest form. Look at the way the lines around her left arm become darker as they suggest the bulk of the fabric of her sleeve and the way he creates the shadow from the chair on the wall behind her. The lines vary in thickness and pressure, giving a sense of depth and volume. It’s like he's feeling his way around the subject with his pencil, and we get to watch! The whole drawing has this relaxed, unfinished quality, like a jazz riff or a conversation with a friend. I see echoes of Picasso here, especially in the simplified features of the face. It’s a reminder that art is never created in a vacuum, it's always building on the ideas of those who came before, while striving to be something new.