Tête d’une jeune fille 1947

Henri Matisse made 'Tête d’une jeune fille' with ink on paper, and there’s something so immediate about the way he worked with it. The simple lines feel like he's just letting the ink flow, capturing the essence of the young woman with the fewest marks possible. Look at how he uses the varying thickness of the lines to create depth and shadow. The ink is fluid, almost watery in places, which gives the drawing a sense of lightness. There’s this one continuous line that defines her cheek and jaw, it's so elegant and economical, yet it tells you everything you need to know about the shape of her face. The way the ink bleeds ever so slightly into the paper also gives it a soft, intimate quality. It reminds me a bit of Picasso's line drawings, but with a touch more warmth. Both artists share this incredible ability to distill form down to its most basic elements, inviting us to see the world anew.