Untitled from Ten Dancers (Dix Danseuses)

The work Untitled from Ten Dancers (Dix Danseuses) by Henri Matisse is a definitive example of the artist’s mastery of line and form, created in 1927. This specific piece is a lithograph, comprising one sheet from the celebrated portfolio of ten prints focused entirely on the dynamic rendering of the female figure.

Produced during a highly fertile period, this French print reflects Matisse’s renewed concentration on the human body, particularly the dancer, a figure that embodies both classical structure and modern fluidity. The decade leading up to 1927 found the artist exploring various modes of graphic art, often using the medium of lithography to achieve a purity of line unattainable in painting. The composition employs a spare yet expressive aesthetic, capturing implied movement and grace through minimalist elegance, typical of Matisse’s output in Nice during the interwar years.

As a cohesive series, the Ten Dancers portfolio allowed Matisse to study subtle shifts in posture and emotional resonance across the sheets. The technical challenge of lithography requires precise control, and the resultant prints emphasize bold contour and the stark juxtaposition of black ink against the white of the paper. This technique differs markedly from the highly saturated color palettes found in his famous oil canvases, favoring the essential energy conveyed by the outline alone. Classified definitively as a significant 20th-century print, the work serves as important documentation of Matisse’s late career graphic output. This masterwork is preserved in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art, where it contributes greatly to the understanding of modern art history.