Nu couché sur sol fleuri 1929

Henri Matisse made this drawing, Nu couché sur sol fleuri, with what looks like pencil, and it’s all about the joy of line. Matisse is famous for his color, but here, the absence of it lets us focus on the way the line dances across the paper, describing the figure and the floral pattern beneath. Look at the weight of the lines – sometimes thin and tentative, other times bold and confident. There’s a real sense of play in how he captures the curves of the reclining nude. Take the line that defines the model’s back – it’s not one smooth curve, but a series of small, almost hesitant strokes. It gives a sense of the body's softness, its yielding to the surface beneath. In a way, it reminds me of Picasso’s drawings from around the same time, but where Picasso can be aggressive, Matisse is always about pleasure. It is as though he is inviting you to come and share in the delight of drawing.