C.Ting Chan Matisse Fig Leaves 1948

1) INTRODUCE THE DRAWING IN GENERAL TERMS

What is the title of the drawing?

The title is Fig Leaves.

What is the name of the artist?

The artist is Matisse.

What is the year the drawing was done?

The drawing was done in 1948.

What is the medium? (ie the materials used to produce the picture, for example charcoal on paper, pen and ink etc)

The medium is charcoal on paper.

What is the subject matter or general theme of the work? (eg is it a figure drawing, a map, a portrait, an autobiographical work, a picture about nature, a drawing of the city etc?)

It is a sketch about fig leaves and its fruits.

Does the drawing have a particular purpose? eg Is it a diagram that explains how something works? Does it record accurately record the appearance of something? Does it express the artist's emotion or memory?

It is a quick still life sketch that depicts the contour of fig leaves and fruits. The purpose is capturing the dynamic movement of fig leaves. The sketch is drawn in a simplicity style that the detail is not shown and express the motion of moving leaves by using curve lines. 

2) DESCRIBE THE DRAWING IN DETAIL

How is line used? What does it do/express?

Curve line is widely used in this drawing. It expresses the shape and movement of fig leaves. The line is smooth and expressive. It emphasises the two-dimensionality and the painterly quality in this sketch by using simple curve lines. Besides, lines are mostly in the same boldness and the repetitive charcoal lines convey a sense of movement. 

How is tone used? What does it do/express?

The whole drawing is in a monochrome style, that means it is in black and white. The whole drawing is not fill with color but constructed by bold curve line. The focus point mainly concentrates on the upper centre part that one of the fruits (and the only one) is fill in black. There is a big contrast between the unfilled and filled part, thus, the upper centre part becomes the focal point. 

What can you say about shape and/or form in this picture? What is the effect?

The form of fig leaves is quite simple because detail is eliminated in this drawing. What we see is the simple form of fig leaves and its fruits. The form is constructed by vivid  bold line and smooth brushstroke that create a sense of quick drawing, confidence and certainty and arouses a keen sensation towards the shape of fig leaves. 

Is texture a feature of the drawing?

Not actually, this drawing is not emphasises on the texture or detail but the movement of fig leaves by using simple curve line.

What can you say about the composition of the drawing? What is the effect of this type of composition on the overall drawing?

The composition is quite symmetrical. The whole drawing is like an inverted triangle that conveys the sense of balance. The main root of fig tree is in the centre of the drawing that separates the leaves into two sides that shows a symmetrical composition. Symmetrical composition express a stable, systematic and harmonious affects to this drawing. 

Is rhythm important in this picture? If so, say more about it...

Yes, it is. Rhythm is quite important in this drawing. The whole drawing shows a moving rhythm because of the smooth brushstroke and different layers of line. It is easy to see there are several layers of line. The brushstroke in lower layers is relatively weak because he draws the outline and then erase it. The boldness part is the top layer. When all the layers combined, a moving rhythm is created.

Is the picture balanced? Explain...

Yes, it is. The drawing is balanced because the whole proportion of left hand-side and right hand-side is quite equal. Firstly, there is a main symmetrical line in the centre, which is the main root of fig tree. It divides the whole drawing into an equal proportion. Second, there is a centre line in the leaves. It separates each leaves into a regular shape that the proportion of left and right hand-side of the leaves are similar. Centre line is helping with contributing a balance composition in this drawing. 

Is perspective used in the picture? If so, describe the way that the illusion of three-dimensional space has been created.

There is no perspective used in the picture. It emphasises the 2-Dimension quality rather than perspective quality. 

Is the picture harmonious? If so, in what way?

Yes, the whole picture is harmonious because of the symmetrical composition that makes the drawing quite stable and quiet. The main vein of leaves goes to the same direction which is towards to the root in the centre of the drawing. Moreover, the curve lines are smooth and the form of fig leaves is simplified that convey a feeling of concise. Furthermore, the symmetrical composition communicates a balanced sense. Therefore, the whole drawing provokes a harmonious sensation. 

Are there any strong contrasts in the picture? Say more...

There is a big contrast of black and white. Because it is in a monochrome, the color of charcoal is quite obvious and contrasts with paper’s color. That means, the black of charcoal contrast to the plain paper. In terms of brushstroke, there is a contrast of the boldness of brushstroke. The outline in top layer is bold and strong that contrasts to the lower layers, which are weak and in low pressure. The other contrast is the unfilled fruits and filled fruits. 

3) INTERPRETATION AND EVALUATION

What is the mood of the drawing? Justify your answer using information from your responses above.

The drawing conveys a dynamic and harmonious sensation. 
Simply, it is just a sketch of fig leaves, but Matisse uses curve lines and the skills repetitive lines to convey a sense of movement and a lively feeling. Firstly, we can see there are few layers of line in drawing the leaves. When all the layers combine together, the leaves look like waving. It is because the charcoal marks like the traces of moving. Secondly, shading is also used in this painting. He sweeps the charcoal, and then makes some shadow of leaves and the main vein. The skills he has used that make the leaves look energetic and just like swinging in the wind. Thirdly, he draws a vivid bold outline on the shape of leaves. The form of the leaves is simplified and all details are eliminated. They are not as detailed a Plant Atlas. What he concerns about is expressing the beauty of the form of fig leaves. By seeing the form, you can feel his brush speed is quite fast that express a sense of certainty and smoothness. Thus, it communicates a energetic and dynamic feeling because of the the curve lines, shading and the speed he draws. 
Besides, it also presents a harmonious mood because of the balanced composition. The whole drawing looks regular and symmetrical. For example, the composition is just like a inverted triangle, the direction of leaves goes to the same direction which is towards to the root in the centre of the drawing, and the curve lines are smooth. For that reason, the simplified rough-less form of fig leaves and the symmetrical composition evokes a harmonious sensation. 

What does the drawing express? Justify your answer using information from your responses above.

The drawing expresses a personal appreciation of the form of fig leaves. According to Matisse’s drawing style, his still life drawing was inspired by classical mythology 1. To search about the information of fig leaves, there is a fig leaves story related to Bible. Fig tree has a feature that once leaves grow, fruits formed immediately in the trees, leaves and fruits are also disappearing at the same time. The Bible records Jesus and his disciples on the Mount of Olives seen fig tree, it had no fruit but show only leaves, Jesus then cursed the tree. The story tell us do not pretend to have fruit in and everyone should not hypocrisy. Matisse tries to use fig leaves with fruits to convey the message that do not pretend to have better moral principles than you actually do. 
Besides the mythological meaning, what he most concerns about is express the emotion by seeing the fig leaves. In his drawing, what he drawn is serve his emotion and feeling by using the expressive curve and bold line. Once he said "I have always considered drawing not as an exercise of particular dexterity… but as a means deliberately simplified so as to give simplicity and spontaneity to the expression, which should speak without clumsiness, directly to the mind of the spectator."2 It is clearly that he is an expressive artist that really concerns the state of mind of himself. 

In your opinion, why is this work interesting/moving/ clever/ imaginative/thought-provoking/......?  Choose the adjective(s) that best fit(s) the work, and then justify your conclusions by referring to specific features and qualities of the drawing (including those you have discussed above).

In my opinion, the sketch is not just interesting but also clever.
When I first saw this drawing, I was attracted by its simplistic form and the boldness of line. The bold curve line shows the beauty of the form of fig leaves. Because it is in a monochrome, there is a big contract between blackness of charcoal with the plain paper. It creates a strong visual impression to me and thus I think this is quite interesting. 
It is also clever because Matisse captures the contour and movement of fig leaves by using repetitive curve lines and simplified forms. It seems he has observed the object deeply and has thought about what is the most important part or characteristics of it. And then he selects what characteristics should be to included and exaggerated, and what should be deleted. And then draw a quick, gestural exercise that capture the form of the object and the emotion evoked in him by the object. Unlike the leaves shown in Plant Atlas ( which leaves are drawn in a concrete style), this one is devoid of detail. Although all detail is deleted, but the smooth, quick and bold cure lines express the evocative sensation of the fig leaves. The way he has tried to expresses the contour of fig leaves by using cure lines and simplified form is very clever indeed. The curve line is very beautiful that also evoke my emotion. This sketch is inspiring because this is a good example of showing how important of curve line in constructing the form. It looks simple but this is not a simple shape like drawn by kids but through a deep observation of the subject and extract the the most significant features of it. In short, what behind the simple form is sophisticated. 

Reference:

1, 2." Henri Matisse - Selected Drawings and Graphics ", http://www.henri-matisse.net/drawings.html ( assessed Nov.15, 2013).