Maud Dale 

Jean Lurçat sketched "Maud Dale" using graphite on paper. The drawing presents a profile view, where simple lines capture the sitter's likeness with minimal shading or detail. This formal reduction focuses attention on the shape and structure of the face. Lurçat's use of line operates almost like a semiotic code, conveying essential information about form without the need for extensive detail. The texture of the paper interacts with the graphite to produce a slightly grainy surface, creating a visual tension between the precision of the lines and the materiality of the medium. The composition is carefully balanced; the placement of the figure on the page and the direction of her gaze imply movement and invite the viewer to engage with her implied narrative. This deliberate approach to form suggests an interest in reducing representation to its essential components, a concept explored by structuralist thinkers in their pursuit of the underlying systems that shape meaning.