The Oriental (L'Asiatique) 1939

Here we have Henri Matisse’s, The Oriental, a charcoal drawing on paper from 1939. What strikes me most is the economy of line. Matisse teases out form using the fewest possible marks, a real balancing act. Look how he’s built up the tone around the eyes, those dark smudges of charcoal giving depth and, let’s face it, a certain world-weariness to the sitter’s gaze. There’s a real confidence in the handling of the medium: bold strokes that define the contours of the face, softened edges that suggest shadow and volume. I love the stray pair of lips, floating to the left. A reminder of the artist’s process, maybe? Matisse reminds me a little of Picasso, especially his portraiture. Both masters, of course, but with a shared understanding that art isn’t about replicating reality. It’s about feeling, about expression.