Alfred Cortot au piano 1926

Henri Matisse sketched ‘Alfred Cortot au piano’ in charcoal, letting the tonal variations evoke both form and feeling. Look at the density of the charcoal marks on the pianist’s suit, and then let your eye travel to the keys of the piano. See how Matisse uses a similar, but lighter, touch to suggest the fall of light and the feel of the keys. The way the charcoal dust clings to the paper gives the image a tactile quality. You can almost feel the give of the paper, the drag of the charcoal. It's interesting how Matisse leaves parts of the drawing unfinished, letting the background fade into the white of the paper, which creates a sense of immediacy. It makes you think about the act of drawing as a conversation between the artist and the subject, a dance of observation and mark-making. The looseness reminds me of Philip Guston's drawings, though Matisse's touch is lighter, more like a whisper than a shout. It’s this kind of ambiguity that makes art so endlessly engaging, right?