Henri Matisse, Study: A Woman’s Back. 1914. Lithograph.
Some of the most sensitive lithographs from 20th-century France were those made by Henri Matisse. Although this artist’s paintings are known for their brilliant color, many of his lithographs, particularly those in the large group of female nudes, depend on simple linear purity for their remarkable effect. Often, the drawing began with transfer paper, and the texture of the paper would be visible on the stone and in the finished print.