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Henri Matisse 1954 unsigned lithograph entitled, "Le Signe de Vie." The original signed lithograph was done in 1946 as part of a 300 piece set that was printed at Mourlot Freres, Paris.

Considered one of the greatest French artists of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Henri Matisse combines sensual lines with a vibrant barrage of color to create a warm and inviting piece of art. The use of bright and loud colors with a loose and painterly approach to art was through his influence and acceptance of the Fauvist style in which he worked. Through his close attention to detail and experimentation with the female figure made, Matisse is best known for his still life scenes and nude portraits.

Having studied under the great French Symbolist painter, Gustave Moreau, at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, Matisse was taught the technical and painterly approach to art passed down by the Great Masters of the past. Matisse was encouraged to ignite his own individual style and infuse new breath into the academic and technical teachings of the past. "Le Signe de Vie" highlights Matisse's skill at capturing the essence of the individual within a portrait setting. The loose and free strokes enhance the sweet and feminine features of this unknown individual.