Torso with Arms Crossed (Torse aux bras croisés)

Torso with Arms Crossed (Torse aux bras croisés) is a seminal lithograph created by Henri Matisse in 1906. This French artist, known primarily for his revolutionary use of color, consistently explored the human figure through various media, including the graphic arts. Produced during a pivotal transitional moment following the initial force of Fauvism, this print showcases Matisse's evolving approach to structure and form in the early 20th century.

The medium, a lithograph, allowed Matisse to focus intensely on line quality and tonal graduation, removing the distraction of color inherent in his major canvases of the period. The composition centers on a figure depicted from the waist up, the arms folded tightly across the chest. This posture creates a powerful sense of self-containment and compacted volume, suggesting a moment of contemplation or reserve. Matisse employs a bold yet economical line to define the contours, characteristic of the simplification of form that would influence modern figuration throughout the coming decades.

The piece demonstrates the artist’s mastery of black and white, using the dense contrast between ink and paper to establish shadow and depth. While retaining the raw, expressive energy visible in his earlier works, this study on paper reflects a growing dedication to classical solidity and weight, mirroring the concurrent influence of Paul Cézanne and archaic sculpture on Matisse’s development. The resulting image is monumental despite its intimate scale, capturing the essence of the form rather than its specific detail.

The creation of such high-quality prints was essential to Matisse’s overall practice, allowing him to disseminate and refine his formal ideas outside of painting. These works offer a direct insight into the superb draughtsmanship that underpinned even his most exuberant compositions. This impression of Torso with Arms Crossed is housed in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art, New York, where it stands as a key example of the artistic investigations undertaken by the major figures of 1906 French modernism.