Lucie Bennett vs. Henri Matisse
The juxtaposition …
These two portraits represent fundamentally different approaches to depicting the human face, separated by decades and artistic philosophies.
Lucie Bennett’s ‘Racing Green’ a simple line drawing executed in green ink or marker on white paper. It shows a minimalist, continuous-line style figure that emphasizes economy of mark-making – every line serves a purpose, and there’s a sense of spontaneity and directness in the drawing. The green lines create a fresh, immediate quality against the neutral background.
Henri Matisse’s ‘The Sleeping Man’ presents a completely different aesthetic approach. This appears to be a black print (possibly a linocut or woodcut) with white lines carved or drawn into the dark surface, creating a negative space effect. The composition shows flowing, organic forms that emerge from the darkness, creating a more mysterious and contemplative mood. The technique requires more planning and commitment since you’re working in reverse – removing material to create the light areas.
The juxtaposition between these works highlights the fundamental contrast between additive and subtractive artistic processes. The first work adds marks to a blank surface with spontaneous energy, while the second removes material from a dark field to reveal form through careful planning. One feels immediate and gestural, the other more meditative and considered. Together, they demonstrate how the same basic language of line can produce entirely different emotional and visual experiences depending on the medium, process, and approach the artist chooses.
