Fernande with Arms Crossed, Small Plate (Fernande les mains croisees (petite planche) 1923

Andre Dunoyer de Segonzac made this etching called ‘Fernande with Arms Crossed, Small Plate’, sometime in the early 20th century. It’s all about line, isn’t it? The kind of line that feels its way around the form, almost tentatively. Look at the way he defines her face. It’s not about filling in the details but suggesting them with these delicate, almost hesitant strokes. And then there's the background. It feels like a collection of scribbles, a kind of shorthand for the world around her. It's like he's saying, "I don't need to spell everything out for you; you can fill in the blanks." This reminds me of Matisse, who was also interested in the power of the simple line. Both artists show us how much can be said with so little, and how sometimes, it's what's left unsaid that speaks the loudest.