Artwork
Nude Model, Reclining
Nude Model, Reclining is an ink print by the Impressionist artist James McNeill Whistler. It dates from 1893 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Nude Model, Reclining is a lithograph created by James McNeill Whistler in 1893. The work is a print on cream-colored laid paper, executed in black.
Subject & Meaning
The lithograph depicts a reclining nude figure, captured in a relaxed pose with loose, expressive lines. The subject's head rests on one arm, and their legs are slightly bent. The simplicity of the background emphasizes the figure.
Technique & Style
Whistler employed soft shading to convey the subject's forms, eschewing sharp details for a more suggestive representation. The lithograph's loose lines and understated background reflect Whistler's focus on formal elegance and visual harmony.
Context
Whistler, an American artist working primarily in the UK, was known for his commitment to 'art for art's sake.' His work often prioritized aesthetic refinement over narrative or moral content, influencing his approach to the nude genre.
Artist & collection
Artist
James Abbott McNeill Whistler was an American painter in oils and watercolor, and printmaker, active during the American Gilded Age and based primarily in the United Kingdom.
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