plate no. 1140
Fatma (II)
Henri Matisse, 1912
recreation guide
Fatma (II) (1912) is a portrait by Henri Matisse that falls within the broader context of his early 20th-century work, specifically following the Fauvist period (1904–1908) which was characterized by 'wild, often dissonant colours' and flat shapes (Source 1). While the specific visual details of Fatma (II) are not described in the provided sources, Matisse’s portraiture from this era is noted for using 'non-naturalistic, even garish, colors for skin tones' and relying on 'highly simplified forms' while avoiding detail to emphasize color juxtapositions (Source 3). The work likely reflects Matisse’s documented fondness for 'bright and expressive colour' and his practice of expressing emotion without regard for the subject's natural colors (Source 1).
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions
materials
6 items
steps
5 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil paints (artist grade) | Primary medium for the painting | — |
| Linseed oil | To mix with paint to adjust consistency and drying time; essential for the 'fat over lean' rule | Refined linseed oil |
| Mineral spirits or turpentine | To thin paint for underdrawing/underpainting and to clean brushes | Odorless mineral spirits |
| Canvas | Support surface | Linen or cotton canvas |
| Charcoal or thinned paint | For initial sketching of the subject onto the canvas | Vine charcoal or diluted oil paint |
| Paintbrushes and palette knives | Application of paint; knives can also scrape off layers if needed | — |
preparation
surface prep
The canvas should be prepared with a ground suitable for oil painting. While specific priming methods for this exact work are not detailed, traditional oil painting techniques involve preparing the surface to accept oil paint. Matisse’s practice involved working on standard supports of the time. Ensure the surface is stable to prevent cracking, as the quality of the oil and proper layering are key to a strong paint film (Source 8).
underdrawing
Traditional oil painting techniques often begin with the artist sketching the subject onto the canvas with charcoal or thinned paint (Source 8). Matisse’s work is characterized by 'controlled lines' and 'flat shapes' (Source 1), suggesting a deliberate underdrawing phase to establish the simplified forms before applying color. However, specific clues to his preparatory methods for this particular portrait are not provided in the sources.
underpainting
If an underpainting is used, it should be applied lean (with more solvent) to adhere to the 'fat over lean' rule, ensuring that subsequent layers with more oil do not crack (Source 8). Matisse’s style emphasizes color juxtapositions rather than detailed modeling, so the underpainting might serve to establish basic tonal values or color blocks rather than realistic shading.
color palette
Non-naturalistic skin tones
Bright, expressive colors; potentially garish hues
Skin tones, consistent with Matisse’s Fauvist and post-Fauvist portraiture which used non-naturalistic colors for flesh (Source 3)
Dissonant/Expressive Colors
High chroma pigments, avoiding naturalistic representation
General use in this artist’s palette to express emotion without regard for natural colors (Source 1)
Complementary Colors
Pairs such as red/green, blue/orange, yellow/purple
Creating simultaneous contrast and harmonizing the composition, as per Matisse’s emphasis on color juxtapositions (Source 3, Source 5)
composition
Matisse’s paintings from this period are characterized by 'flat shapes and controlled lines' (Source 1). In portraiture, he relied on 'highly simplified forms' and avoided detail to emphasize color juxtapositions (Source 3). The composition likely prioritizes the arrangement of these flat color planes over realistic spatial depth or detailed rendering of features.
step by step
underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing
underdrawing
step 01
Sketch the simplified forms of the portrait onto the canvas using charcoal or thinned paint.
Tip — Focus on controlled lines and flat shapes, avoiding excessive detail.
Traditional oil painting underdrawing
underpainting
step 02
Apply a lean underpainting to establish basic color blocks and tonal values.
Tip — Ensure this layer has more solvent than oil to prevent cracking in later layers.
Fat over lean principle
first pass
step 03
Apply bright, expressive colors in flat shapes, using non-naturalistic hues for skin tones.
Tip — Ignore natural colors; focus on emotional expression and color juxtaposition.
Fauvist color application
refining
step 04
Adjust colors based on simultaneous contrast, ensuring adjacent colors enhance each other.
Tip — Be aware that colors may appear different when viewed together; adjust to maintain intended hue and tone.
Simultaneous contrast of colors
finishing
step 05
Add final layers with more oil content, ensuring each layer is 'fatter' than the previous one.
Tip — Check for proper drying and adhesion to prevent cracking.
Fat over lean rule
critical techniques
Fat over lean
Each additional layer of paint should contain more oil than the layer below to allow proper drying and prevent cracking.
Simultaneous contrast
Using complementary colors adjacent to each other to enhance vibrancy and create harmony, as Matisse emphasized color juxtapositions.
Non-naturalistic color
Using bright, expressive, and sometimes garish colors for skin tones and other elements to express emotion rather than realism.
common pitfalls
- →Adding black to darken colors can cause hue shifts (e.g., yellows shifting toward green); use complementary colors to neutralize instead (Source 4).
- →Adding white to lighten reds/oranges can cause a shift toward blue; correct with a small amount of adjacent color (Source 4).
- →Violating the 'fat over lean' rule can lead to cracking and peeling of the paint film (Source 8).
- →Over-modeling or adding too much detail, which contradicts Matisse’s style of simplified forms and flat shapes (Source 1, Source 3).
what the sources don't tell us
Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.
- ·Specific visual details of Fatma (II) such as the subject's pose, clothing, background, and exact color scheme are not described in the sources.
- ·Matisse’s specific preparatory methods (e.g., whether he used a grisaille underpainting or direct painting) for this particular work are not detailed.
- ·The exact pigments used by Matisse in 1912 are not specified, though general oil painting materials are covered.
grounded in
The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- part 6 — applied to Principles of simultaneous contrast and color harmony.
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia bio — Henri Matisse↗
- part 3 — applied to Context of Fauvism, use of bright/expressive color, flat shapes, and controlled lines.
Wikipedia: Portrait painting↗
- part 17 — applied to Matisse’s use of non-naturalistic colors for skin tones and simplified forms.
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- part 2 — applied to Traditional oil painting techniques, fat over lean rule, underdrawing, and materials.
Wikipedia: Color theory↗
- part 6 — applied to Color mixing pitfalls, such as hue shifts when adding black or white.
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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