Untitled

Untitled

Henri Matisse

1950

ink

From the collection of Museum of Modern Art

About this work

This drawing shows a simple black figure standing sideways. The lines are thick and confident, with a few small marks for eyes and a cluster of dots where the stomach should be. The arms hang loosely, and the legs are drawn in quick, bold strokes. The artist used almost no shading—just ink on white paper, with a tiny gray smudge near the foot. The whole thing feels quick, like a sketch made in minutes. If you like this style, look up cross-hatching next.

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