Dix Danseuses I 1925 - 1926

Henri Matisse drew this dancer with what looks like graphite on paper, and he’s used quite a range of marks to describe her pose. Looking at the image, I imagine Matisse trying to capture her essence: the weight in her arms, her gentle gaze. There’s a push-and-pull, a give and take to the marks, a building up, almost like he’s sculpting the figure with the pencil itself. See how the shading creates a sense of volume, especially in her skirt? It feels so light! But there are areas of shadow and depth to create a sense of realism. Matisse was so influential for painters. He was always looking at other artists like Cezanne, and his work went on to inform painters like Diebenkorn. It’s as if artists are constantly in dialogue with each other, isn’t it? The history of painting isn’t just about individual achievements, it’s about how artists see, interpret, and respond to each other’s visions across time. Each brushstroke, each sketch, is a continuation of a conversation that’s been going on for centuries.