Sale: Galerie Motte, Geneva, 27th November 1965, lot 28
Purchased at the above sale by the late owner (probably)

Executed on cream wove paper, not laid down and attached to the overmount with tape along all four edges. All four edges are deckled. There are artist's pinholes to all four corners and a pinhole to the left part of the upper edge. There are some minor spots of foxing in places, predominantly along the right edge. This work is in overall good condition.
"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."

In the 1930s, drawing took on a new significance in Matisse's œuvre. John Elderfield explains how 'according to Lydia Delectorskaya, Matisse, by the mid 1930s, considered line drawing a totally independent form of expression. He would paint in the mornings and draw in the afternoons. The drawing "prolonged" each morning's painting just as much as it prepared for the next day's session at the easel' (John Elderfield, The Drawings of Henri Matisse, London, 1984, pp. 117-118). Delectorskaya became his principal model and muse in 1935 and her arrival coincided with a creative revival for Matisse, inspiring some of his most important works.

The present work reflects the supreme importance of charcoal drawings as part of his creative process and is a wonderful example of Matisse's mature drawing style. The figure of the woman is loosely sketched with bold, emphatic lines. The emphasis is placed very firmly on the woman's body; her voluptuous figure fills the sheet and, apart from the ornate chair she is seated on, the background remains empty. This interplay between the negative space of the sheet and the drawn lines was one that preoccupied Matisse greatly, and was something he often addressed in his theoretical writings at this time. He described the role of his models in relation to this, explaining that they were 'never just "extras" in an interior. They are the principal theme of my work [...] The emotional interest aroused in me by them does not appear particularly in the representation of their bodies, but often rather in the lines or special values distributed over the whole canvas or paper, which form its complete orchestration, its architecture' (ibid., p. 117).