VAM galleries including this work:
Clara M. Eagle Gallery, Murray State University | Go Figure || VAM Home

Tête de Jeune Fille (“Head of a Young Girl”) is one of roughly 800 original graphics created by Matisse, who began creating lithographs around 1906. As is evident in this work, Matisse had an uncanny ability to create truly beautiful portraits using only the most necessary of lines. Young, attractive women were a favorite subject not only of the artist, but also of his patrons, and to this day his portrayals of them remain among his most highly sought-after prints.

About the Artist

Henri Matisse was born on December 31, 1869, in the north of France. Encouraged by his father to pursue a legal career, Henri studied law in Paris during 1887 and 1888 and was employed the following year as a clerk in a law office. In 1890, Matisse took up drawing and painting as a pastime when an intestinal operation left him bedridden. Intent on turning his hobby into a career after he recovered, Matisse abandoned the legal profession and attended the Academie Julian and later the École des Beaux-Arts. He spent a good deal of time copying master works at the Louvre, an activity that provided both practice and income for the young artist.

Matisse was greatly influenced by the work of artists such as Manet and Cézanne, and his distorted forms and bold use of color earned him a reputation as a leading figure of Fauvism in the early 20th century. Though the term Fauve, which is French for “wild beast,” was initially hurled by art critics as an insult to artists of the developing style, the avant-garde group embraced the term and all it implied. Matisse, who is one of the relatively few artists who have achieved fame and success during their lifetimes, became increasingly popular even after the decline of the short-lived movement.

While Matisse was primarily a painter, he also dabbled in printmaking and sculpture. Later in life, when cancer confined him to a wheelchair and made painting at an easel nearly impossible, Matisse began to create paper works and collages. He died in Nice, France, in 1954.

Classroom Ideas

Discussion: Artists use shading to create the impression of three-dimensionality in an artwork. In Tête de Jeune Fille, Matisse has completely avoided the use of shading, focusing instead on the use of line. Did he manage to convey depth and volume without shading? Why or why not? How does this work differ from your idea of a typical portrait?

Activities: Research some of the different methods of printmaking. How does a lithograph differ from an etching or a woodblock print? Find examples of different types of printmaking and create a classroom display.

Create a portrait using minimal lines.

Links

Matisse for Kids, from the Baltimore Museum of Art, is a fun and interactive exploration of Henri Matisse’s works.
[www.artbma.org/education/matisse_kids_frame.html]

The National Gallery of Art web site includes an exploration of Matisse’s use of light and color, complete with classroom activities. While visiting the NGA, you can also learn more about the Fauves.
[www.nga.gov/education/schoolarts/matisse.shtm]
[www.nga.gov/feature/artnation/fauve/]

Read a detailed biography of Matisse at the Brain-Juice web site.
[www.brain-juice.com/cgi-bin/show_bio.cgi?p_id=24]

A comprehensive guide to online resources about Matisse can be found in the Artcyclopedia.
[www.artcyclopedia.com/artists/matisse_henri.html]

See more than 150 images of artworks by Matisse in Olga’s Gallery.
[www.abcgallery.com/M/matisse/matisse.html]

Learn about printmaking, step by step, at the Museum of Modern Art’s What Is a Print? site.
[www.moma.org/exhibitions/2001/whatisaprint/print.html]