Literature

Henri Matisse (1869-1954)

Title: Paule Caen-Martin (Yellow) (s.9839)

Medium:

Original drawing in ink on a yellow gouache base, circa 1951/1952, signed with initials below right: HM

Note: In the last years of his life Henri Matisse developed an unusual technique to give a new twist to his drawings. Prior to using ink on the white paper he worked with gouache backgrounds. These were generally in orange, ochre or yellow. The watercolour was applied using large brushes with precision to obtain uniform or slightly modulated surfaces. Once the paint was dry, Matisse, using a brush or black pen, would create a masterly impression with a drawing. These gouache backgrounds were plainly part of the artists vision in creating a chromatic resonance. Through these he renewed his relationship with line and space using colour as a living area in which the use of line is clearly annotated. This technique confers a unique dimension on these works: The contrast between the luminescence of colour in the field and the spontaneity of the black linear drawings creates a great intensity; the colour and the drawing are unified in a perfect match. Our two drawings form a series centred around the model's face during a pose, an approach regularly found in Matisse's work.

In “Henri Matisse: Paper Cut-Outs”, art historian Jack Cowart notes that Matisse had been utilising the cut-out technique as a design tool for many years, to plan large scale murals and decorations as well as to work out compositions before painting them. Studio assistants, such as Lydia Delectorskaya and Paule Caen-Martin, played important roles in the process. They would present him with colourful sheets of paper that they had pre-painted with gouache, a kind of opaque watercolour. Matisse would select a sheet and a pair of scissors or shears, then cut abstract forms from the paper. His assistants would hold the paper and turn or rotate it for Matisse as he cut, allowing him to create smooth curving contours for the cut form. Once the components were cut, they would be pinned to either a paper support or directly to the walls. Pinning the paper allowed Matisse to continue to work with the pieces, arranging and rearranging them. When he was satisfied with a form’s placement, he would carefully note its location, remove the pins, and glue it down. The present work depicts a portrait of Paule Caen-Martin, who was a studio assistant from February 1949 to spring 1952. In this case the Cut-Out technique was not employed and the drawing is a unique work in its own right made on a background of yellow gouache. It must, however, be seen in the context of the well known contemporary cut-out productions.

Provenance: