Arranging the Hair of Hérodiade 1932

Henri Matisse made this drawing, Arranging the Hair of Hérodiade, by letting a simple line do all the work of describing two figures in a room. Matisse really knew how to make a line sing and suggest space, volume, and even emotion. What's so cool is how much he leaves out, right? The bare paper becomes part of the image, letting our minds fill in the blanks. Look at the figure in the foreground; the necklace is just a string of circles and yet it gives her such a presence. The line has a kind of authority, like it knows exactly where to go, but it also feels spontaneous, as if he’s capturing a fleeting moment. You know, this reminds me a little of Picasso's line drawings, but Matisse has a warmth that’s all his own. It makes you think about how art is just a conversation across time. Anyway, there’s no right answer here, just the joy of looking and letting your imagination wander.