Henri Matisse
Seated Woman (recto and verso; study for Mallarmé?)
1931-1932
Scroll
Henri Matisse
Seated Woman (recto and verso; study for Mallarmé?)
1931-1932
Physical Qualities
Pen and black ink on paper (recto); graphite (verso), Sheet: 331 x 251 mm. (13 1/16 x 9 7/8 in.)
Credit Line
Marguerite Matisse Duthuit Collection
Object Number
2011.195
The fluidity of Matisse’s use of ink is on full display here, as he carefully depicted the texture of the model’s hair as well as the details of her necklace and bracelet but used spare lines to represent her clothing. This composition was created when he
had taken a three-year hiatus from producing easel paintings and was working hard on his first illustrated book, "Poems," by Stéphane Mallarmé. A notation on the sheet indicates this may have been created as part of the book project, although the figure seen here is not clearly related to any of the final images in the publication.
The Baltimore Museum of Art by gift, 2011; Barbara Duthuit, France
Katy Rothkopf, The Baltimore Museum of Art, "Matisse: The Sinuous Line," (second rotation) May 8 - October 2, 2022.
Inscribed: lower right in graphite: "pour Mallarmé / Henri Matisse"
Markings: WM: ARCHES
