Portrait of a Woman
1947
Henri Matisse created this striking portrait in July 1947, when he was 77 years old and largely bedridden due to illness. Unable to stand at an easel for long periods, he developed a style of extreme simplicity, using bold black lines to capture the essence of his subjects—like this woman with her braided hair and floral shirt—with minimal strokes. He signed it 'H. Matisse Juill. 47' in the top corner, a testament to his enduring creativity. This illustration proves his belief that a single, confident line could capture a whole personality without needing any shading or color.
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