Portrait de femme 1947

Henri Matisse drew "Portrait de femme" with pencil, sometime during his incredible career. What I love about this piece is how Matisse boils down a face to its bare essence. Look how he suggests the curve of her cheek, the shape of her lips, with just a few lines. It's almost like he's thinking out loud on the paper. He uses hatching to imply light and shadow, giving form to her hair. It's a process of reduction, taking away everything that isn't essential to reveal the core of his subject. The simplicity of the drawing reminds me of some of Picasso's line drawings; both artists were masters of capturing form with minimal means. It shows how art can be an ongoing conversation. Nothing is ever truly finished, it's just a moment caught in time.