Henri Matisse

Amélie Matisse (the artist's wife)
Alexander Iolas Gallery, New York
Acquired from the above by the present owner in 1983

Paris, Berggruen & Cie, Matisse, dessins et sculptures inédites, 1958, illustrated in the catalogue
London, Hanover Gallery, Pen, Pencil & Paper, 1970, illustrated in the catalogue

Executed on white laid paper, showing a watermark at the lower edge; the sheet is not laid down, it is hinged to the mount on the reverse, floating in the mount. There are artist's pinholes in all four corners and a small spot of imperfection in the paper near the centre of the lower edge. Apart from a 3cm. supported tear in the lower left corner, two small repairs in the lower right corner and some further very small supported tears and nicks at the extreme edges, this work is in very good condition. Colours: The paper has a very slightly more cream tonality and the charcoal is slightly less red and more neutral in the original.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Henri Matisse is widely regarded as one of the twentieth century’s most gifted and innovative draughtsman, as exemplified by Nu couché. The gradual evolution of his drawing style reached its peak when he developed the estompe technique in which charcoal is rubbed to a fine smoky appearance with highlights erased with a stump of paper. The use of estompe has become synonymous with Matisse and the subtle luminosity it delivers is unique. For Matisse drawing was an essential art form in its own right that most directly expressed his emotions and thoughts. He would comment to his students, ‘drawing is like making an expressive gesture with the advantage of permanence’ (John Elderfield, The Drawings of Henri Matisse, London, 1984, p. 10).

The female figure served as continual inspiration for Matisse across his range of artistic media and it is in charcoal that we find some of his most sensual renderings. The woman’s body is beautifully realised by subtle tonal gradations that suggest the soft texture of the female form. The composition of the present work recalls the odalisques that dominate his output during the 1920s and 30s. The model is surrounded by gradations of shadow that suggest the shifting posture of the sitter as she moves on the divan. Nu couché reveals the delicate relationship between his artistic ideals of the time and his creative processes. Matisse himself once observed, ‘I believe study by means of drawing is most essential. If drawing is the spirit and colour of the sense, you must draw first, to cultivate the spirit and to be able to lead colour into spiritual paths’ (Lydia Delectorskaya, With Apparent Ease… Henri Matisse, Paris, 1988, p. 86).