Woman's Head, Eyes Closed (Tête de femme, les yeux clos)

Woman's Head, Eyes Closed (Tête de femme, les yeux clos) is a striking lithograph created by Henri Matisse in 1906. Dating from the period immediately following his intense involvement with Fauvism, this piece exemplifies the French artist’s enduring commitment to line as a primary vehicle for expression. Moving away from the saturated colors that defined his earlier canvases, Matisse here uses the reductive medium of printmaking to explore essential form and contour.

The print depicts a close study of a model, rendered in stark black ink against the white background. The subject’s eyes are closed, evoking a sense of deep repose, contemplation, or perhaps sleep. Matisse employs a fluid, economical line to define the curve of the skull, the sharp angle of the jaw, and the delicate structure of the neck. This technique prioritizes the structural relationship between forms over meticulous detail, a signature approach that would influence much of his subsequent graphic output.

This focus on clean structure and emotional quietude marks a significant moment in the development of Matisse’s modern style. His graphic experiments in 1906 allowed the artist to refine formal ideas distinct from those explored in his paintings, cementing the importance of drawing within his overall artistic practice. As one of the definitive figures of early twentieth-century French art, Matisse consistently utilized lithography and other prints to investigate the inherent possibilities of the drawn line. This particular work resides in the prestigious collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York. As historical examples of high-quality prints age, many such works transition into the public domain, allowing global audiences to study the masterful draftsmanship demonstrated by Matisse.