Young Girl, Arms Crossed Over Head (Fillette, bras sur la tête)

Young Girl, Arms Crossed Over Head (Fillette, bras sur la tête) is a highly expressive print created by Henri Matisse in 1925. This work utilizes the drypoint technique, characterized by the artist drawing directly onto the printing plate, yielding rich, burred lines. The resulting image is further enhanced by chine collé, a specialized process where a thin layer of fine paper is adhered to the printing support during the pressing process, adding textural complexity and a delicate, warm tone to the final print.

The composition focuses on a young female figure captured in an intimate and relaxed pose, her arms crossed over her head. This gesture, often associated with repose, allowed Matisse to concentrate exclusively on the structure of the torso, the fall of the shoulders, and the essential contours of the human form. Unlike his concurrent explorations in painting, which often utilized bold color planes and simplified shapes, Matisse’s prints from this era reveal a powerful economy of line. The drypoint medium emphasizes spontaneity and immediate draftsmanship, employing sharp, energetic strokes to define the contours of the subject while minimizing extraneous detail.

Created midway through the 1920s, this piece reflects the French master’s intense engagement with figure studies during his time in Nice. While globally recognized for his achievements in Fauvism, Matisse continuously returned to graphic techniques like drypoint and etching throughout his career to study volume and mass without the distraction of color. This print demonstrates the artist’s mastery of linear expression and his ongoing interest in the expressive potential of the resting female form. As a significant example of the graphic artistry produced by Matisse during this period, the work resides in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.