Artwork
Reclining Girl
Reclining Girl is an oil painting by Jules Pascin. It dates from 1921 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Jules Pascin’s 1921 oil work titled Reclining Girl is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection. The composition presents a reclining female figure positioned atop a horse, set against a muted sky that hints at distant hills.
Subject & Meaning
The painting captures a moment of quiet repose, with the woman’s relaxed pose suggesting intimacy or contemplation. The juxtaposition of the human form with the animal body invites reflection on the relationship between the two, while the subdued palette emphasizes a contemplative atmosphere.
Technique & Style
Pascin applies the paint in thick, impasto strokes that render the forms as solid blocks of color rather than finely detailed surfaces. Dark shadows contrast with lighter patches, creating a dramatic tonal range within the predominantly gray‑white composition. The horse’s musculature and the figure’s contours are suggested rather than precisely delineated.
History & Provenance
Created in the early 1920s, the work entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s holdings through acquisition (specific details of the purchase are not recorded in the provided sources). Its presence in the museum situates it among other early‑20th‑century European paintings.
Context
Pascin, known for his loose handling of paint and focus on everyday subjects, produced Reclining Girl during a period when modernist tendencies favored expressive brushwork over strict realism. The painting reflects contemporary interests in simplifying forms and exploring the interplay of light and shadow.
Artist & collection
Artist
Julius Mordecai Pincas (March 31, 1885 – June 2, 1930), known as Pascin (French: , erroneously or ), Jules Pascin, also known as the "Prince of Montparnasse", was a Bulgarian artist of the School of Paris, known for his paintings and…
