The Fine Art & Collectibles Sale
Lot 114:
Description
Signed (lower left)
Image Dimensions: 11 x 8 5/8 in (28 x 22 cm)
Framed Dimensions: 16 3/4 x 14 3/8 in (42.5 x 36.5 cm)
This lot is accompanied by a consignor-provided COA or related documentation, offered as received.
Henri Matisse remains one of the defining figures of twentieth-century modernism, celebrated for his revolutionary understanding of color, line, and visual harmony. During the later decades of his career, Matisse increasingly pursued an artistic language of extraordinary reduction, seeking to express the human figure through only a few essential gestures and contours. His intimate drawings on paper remain among the purest expressions of his lifelong search for balance, serenity, and formal elegance.
"Nu assis" beautifully exemplifies the quiet refinement and sculptural simplicity that characterize Matisse’s mature figure studies. Rendered in delicate pencil line upon an open field of paper, the seated female nude emerges with remarkable lightness and restraint. The elegant curvature of the back, the softened articulation of the shoulders and hips, and the graceful vertical rhythm of the composition reveal Matisse’s extraordinary ability to transform the human body into a timeless image of calm and visual harmony.
Throughout the 1930s and later decades, Matisse increasingly simplified the human form, reducing anatomy to flowing contours and allowing negative space to become an active element within the composition. In works such as this, the artist abandoned descriptive detail in favor of lyrical economy, creating drawings that feel simultaneously intimate, modern, and deeply classical. The result is a composition of remarkable serenity and understated sophistication.
Matisse’s figure drawings continue to occupy an important position within the international market for twentieth-century works on paper, admired for their extraordinary elegance, technical refinement, and direct connection to one of the most influential artistic languages of modernism. Their enduring appeal lies in the remarkable balance between simplicity, sensuality, and formal purity.
Beyond its significance within modern art history, this work possesses exceptional decorative refinement. The restrained monochromatic palette, graceful linear structure, and expansive negative space create a composition ideally suited to contemporary interiors, architecturally curated environments, and sophisticated private collections alike. Rich in calm, elegance, and visual clarity, the drawing offers collectors a timeless meditation on beauty, line, and the poetry of modern form.
Condition: ALL PROPERTY IS SOLD AS IS, WHERE IS, WITH NO RETURNS OR CANCELLATIONS.
Additional photographs and condition reports may be provided upon request as a courtesy only. Any condition report, catalogue description, image, certificate, report, document, authentication statement, authentication opinion, specialist opinion, or communication regarding origin, date, age, attribution, authenticity, authorship, signature, condition, provenance, or value is an opinion only and not a representation, warranty, or assumption of liability by Yakon Auctions.
The absence of reference to defects, restoration, wear, damage, handling marks, conservation, alteration, or repair does not mean the lot is free from such matters. Photographs are for reference only and may not accurately reflect color, tone, dimensions, condition, signature details, or the true state of the lot. Buyers should review all images carefully, as they form part of the description.
Provenance is provided by the consignor, prior owner, or most recent owner and may not be supported by records. All reports, COAs, appraisals, authentication letters, provenance statements, invoices, labels, or related documents, including any opinions, analyses, or conclusions therein, are provided as received from the consignor, prior owner, or third party, and have not been independently verified by Yakon Auctions. Such materials are for reference only and are not guarantees of authenticity, authorship, signature, origin, age, period, provenance, condition, or value.
All artworks, antiques, collectibles, autographed items, signed memorabilia, music memorabilia, records, photographs, posters, entertainment collectibles, and related items are offered based on information and documentation provided with the lot. Unless expressly stated, Yakon Auctions has not independently authenticated any signature, inscription, attribution, authorship, association, provenance, pressing detail, edition, period, origin, or related documentation.
Terms such as "attributed to, " "after, " "manner of, " "circle of, " "school of, " "in the artist’s style, " or similar language mean the lot is not guaranteed to be by the named artist, maker, signer, studio, or period. Exact authorship, origin, attribution, or date may be unknown, and the lot may not be included in any official catalogue raisonné, archive, registry, or recognized reference source.
Yakon Auctions makes no express or implied warranties or guarantees regarding authenticity, authorship, signature, origin, age, period, condition, provenance, attribution, description, value, or marketability. Buyers are responsible for due diligence and should seek independent expert advice before bidding.
No return, refund, cancellation, or bid retraction will be accepted based on disputes regarding authenticity, attribution, authorship, signature, condition, provenance, description, estimated value, market value, or buyer’s post-sale opinion.
Original invoices, reports, certificates, or documents shown in listings will be included only if all items listed on that document are purchased. If only part of the document relates to the purchased lot, a digital copy may be provided upon request at Yakon Auctions’ discretion.
Please bid responsibly. If you do not agree with auction sale principles, the "as is" nature of the property, or the binding nature of bidding, please do not bid.
For inquiries, please contact Support@yakonauctions.com.
Share this lot:
