Galerie Nathan, Zurich
Acquired from the above

This work is in very good condition. Executed on cream wove paper. Hinged to a mount at four places on the verso. The edges of the page are cut. The sheet does not lay completely flat and bows lightly on the right and left edges. The sheet is very slightly time darkened, but the medium remains extremely fresh.
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.

Executed in 1906, the present work was executed at the height of Matisse's Fauve period. The artist was not just experimenting with a vivid color palette at this time—this was the year in which the figure became fundamental to both Matisse’s drawings and sculpture. He explored the form of a seated woman in works on paper, such as the present work, and in his bronzes (see fig. 1). In 1908, the artist would note in an essay "what interests me most is neither still life not landscape but the human figure—it is that which best permits me to express my so-to-speak religious feelings towards life" (Henri Matisse, translated in Jack Flam, Matisse on Art, Berkeley & Los Angeles, 1995, p. 41).