Henri Matisse

Mr. Shönemann, New York (1965)

Albert Loeb, New York (1967)

Marlborough Gallery, London (1973)

Acquired from the above circa 1980

Lydia Delectorskaya, Henri Matisse, Contre vents et marées, Peintures et livres illustrés de 1939 à 1943, Paris, 1996, no. 35, illustrated p. 234 (dated as 2-6 March 1940)

The sheet has been hinged to the mount intermittently along all edges. The surface of the charcoal is intact with no indication of smudging. The color of the sheet has unevently yellowed due to the application of oxidized fixative, but this fixative has not impaired the strength or suppleness of the sheet. There are some handling marks along the top edge, and a tiny loss at the lower left edge. On the reverse of the sheet, there are some remnants of old tape at the corners and solvent stain at the top center, but none of this appears on the recto. Overall, the composition itself is unaffected but the sheet could benefit significantly from conservation.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Matisse's line drawings enabled him to channel his creative vision with more spontaneity than in his painting.  Drawing allowed for an immediate and intuitive execution of a compositional idea, without having to negotiate the placement of color.   Particularly during the war years, the artist increasingly turned towards draftsmanship, believing that the act of painting could not offer a comparable sense of creative release.  In January 1940, he wrote to Bonnard: "I have found a [form of] drawing which, after the preliminary work, has the spontaneity which empties me entirely of what I feel."    Matisse's focus on line as a means of expression in the early 1940s lead to the development of his cut-outs -- a medium that ultimately resolved the conflict between drawing and color. 

For an artist who was known primarily as a colorist, drawing did not mean the abandonment of tone.  The present work demonstrates how Matisse explored the limits of tonal gradation by using an eraser to blend and lighten passages of his monochromatic medium.  The drawing itself is thoughtfully executed, contrasting the geometric embroidery of the figure's dress with the curvilinear forms of the vase and floral stems.