1937, Henri Matisse, Woman in Blue -- Philadelphia Museum of Art
From the museum label: "In-process" photographs (at right) document the stages that brought a naturalistic rendering of Lydia Delectorskaya in a casual pose to a stately, formal conclusion. Among the many operations Matisse undertook: to expand the skirt and sleeves; magnify the hands, making them expressive forms; and raise the black tiled floor, to create a rhythmic background. Matisse used a pointed implement to incise lines in the wet paint-a key example of a developing trend in his work to make a sharp contrast between color and design. The drawing over the figure's right shoulder is a rendering of Delectorskaya that Matisse had made slightly earlier.
1937, Henri Matisse, Woman in Blue -- Philadelphia Museum of Art
From the museum label: "In-process" photographs (at right) document the stages that brought a naturalistic rendering of Lydia Delectorskaya in a casual pose to a stately, formal conclusion. Among the many operations Matisse undertook: to expand the skirt and sleeves; magnify the hands, making them expressive forms; and raise the black tiled floor, to create a rhythmic background. Matisse used a pointed implement to incise lines in the wet paint-a key example of a developing trend in his work to make a sharp contrast between color and design. The drawing over the figure's right shoulder is a rendering of Delectorskaya that Matisse had made slightly earlier.