Blue Nude II - Henri Matisse

A iconic paper cut-out by Henri Matisse, featuring a simplified female figure in bold blue against a white background.

Blue Nude II is a representative example of the paper cut-out technique Henri Matisse developed during his final years. Confined to his bed or chair due to declining health, Matisse moved away from traditional painting to work with sheets of paper painted in gouache by his assistants. He then cut shapes directly from these sheets with scissors, a process he described as drawing with scissors.

The composition features a single female figure, rendered in a bold, saturated blue against a stark white background. The form is simplified to its essential contours, prioritising the rhythmic flow of the body over anatomical precision. The figure is captured in a seated, twisting pose, with one arm raised above the head and the other resting near the knee. This reduction of the human form to a series of curves and angles demonstrates the artist's focus on balance and spatial harmony.

Matisse created this work in 1952, a period when his interest in the relationship between colour and shape reached its zenith. The stark contrast between the blue silhouette and the neutral ground creates a sense of movement and energy. The edges of the cut paper retain a tactile quality, showing the physical action of the scissors. This work reflects the artist's desire to strip away unnecessary detail to reach a pure, expressive form. The simplicity of the silhouette allows the viewer to focus on the interplay of positive and negative space, a hallmark of his late-career output. By removing the constraints of traditional perspective, Matisse achieved a directness that remains a defining characteristic of his contribution to twentieth-century art.