Woman in Profile (Turned to the Left) 1935

This is Henri Matisse's 'Woman in Profile (Turned to the Left),' a drawing made in 1935. Look at the line, how it travels, almost nervously, feeling its way around her face, as if drawing is a process of finding rather than simply describing. The colour is a kind of neutral, buff paper, grounding the image. I love that we can see the physical trace of the artist’s hand in the marks. The single, continuous line defines the woman’s profile. It's delicate but sure, wavering, yet still confident, as if the whole image hangs on a single thread. The hair, a series of looping curls, seems to echo the gentle curves of her face, her eyelashes and ear. Note the odd, extra line, floating to the left of the woman’s brow: is it the echo of another, abandoned attempt? Matisse always looks to me like he's in conversation with Picasso, a dialogue about form and the nature of seeing. Both artists invite us to appreciate the beauty in simplicity and to see the world with fresh eyes.