The print seen here are part of a larger series by Matisse that traces the movement of a female model drawn over time: she begins at rest and ends in the midst of an energetic dance. Whitney has chosen examples that feature the model bending and stretching in an eloquent equilibrium of balance and poise, echoing his own love of organic, kinetic, human line. These lithographs may have been inspired by drawings made by Matisse while working on his largescale mural, "The Dance," in the early 1930s. The mural project gave the artist the chance to reconsider his artmaking and led to a profound change in style as his work became more simplified and abstracted.