Buste de femme 1919

Henri Matisse made this pencil drawing, “Buste de femme." The portrait invites questions about the public role of art. We can consider the politics of imagery and the social conditions that shape artistic production in France at the time. It is likely the early 20th century, when the status of women and traditional institutions were being challenged. The subject is a woman whose features are carefully composed, but there's an unfinished quality to the sketch. It is not a commission, but a study, probably of someone from Matisse’s circle, such as a fellow artist or an intimate. To better understand this artwork, the historian would research the social networks of Matisse and the position of women artists. This would shed light on the meaning of art and how it is contingent on its social and institutional context.