Moses Soyer

Standing Pregnant Nude, Original Drawing by Moses Soyer 1965

1965

This reclining nude portrait of a woman on a picnic makes several different art historical references. The bold, almost neon colors are reminiscent of the tropical paintings rendered by Gauguin at the end of the 19th century. The setting harkens back to "Luncheon in the Grass" by Manetl. And the pose is historically associated with sex workers and the goddess Venus, in paintings like "Olympia" by Manet, "Grande Odalisque" by Inges, and even further back like "Venus of Urbino...

Pussy In The Sky With Swan Karen Lynn Gorney, American (1945) Etching, Watercolor, Pastel and Ink on Arches, signed, titled and numbered in pen Edition of 25-Jul Image Size: 17.75 x ...

Artist: Gerald Fairclough Title: Nude Year: circa 1977 Medium: Pastel Drawing, signed Size: 36 x 26 in. (91.44 x 66.04 cm) Frame Size: 43 x 33 inches

Artist: Gerald Fairclough, American (1946 - ) Title: Nude Year: 1977 Medium: Pastel Drawing, signed and dated Size: 25 x 35 in. (63.5 x 88.9 cm) Frame Size: 33 x 43 inches

René-Paris Castaing, winner of the Grand Prix de Rome in 1924, left a large body of work, both sacred and secular. Many churches in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, in South-West France still bear witness to the diversity of his talent. In 1942, he began a major decoration project for the Château de Diusse, in the north-east of the county, including an allegory of the four seasons. The vigorous pastel we are presenting here is a study for Spring, depicted as Flore undressing. This commission was a veritable swan song for the artist, who died a year later at the age of 47. 1. René-Marie Castaing, the great inter-war painter in Pau René-Marie Castaing was born in Pau on December 16th 1896. His father, Joseph Castaing, was also a painter: he was the official portraitist of Pau's high society, which was particularly cosmopolitan at the end of the century, when many rich foreigners spent the winter in Pau, taking advantage of the mild weather to enjoy an outdoor lifestyle punctuated by hunting, horse ridings and golf. René-Marie Castaing was admitted to the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris in April 1920 and entered the studio of Paul-Albert Laurens (1870-1934). In 1924, he was awarded the First Grand Prix de Rome for Painting, which earned him a stay at the Villa Médicis for more than three years. He then returned to Pau in 1928, where he lived until his death. Castaing's work is marked by the academic tradition, in which drawing plays as important a role as painting. Although his drawings are often sketches that help to set up large painted compositions, they stand as independent artworks in which the artist fully expresses the vivacity of his talent. Castaing was a fervent Christian and religious painting played an essential part in his work, as shown by the decorations he created for the churches of Bizanos, Borce, Bidache and Salies-de-Béarn. The painter also created several secular decorations, such as that for the dining room of the Villa Saint-Basil's in Pau in 1935, and the Hunting at the Albret’s time commissioned in 1940 by the Prefecture of Pau. The décor created in 1942-1943 for the Château de Diusse, a mansion located north-east of Pau, was his last large-scale décor, as the painter died shortly after its completion on December 8th 1943. 2. Description of the drawing Our pastel depicts an eminently secular theme: Spring is embodied by Flore, crouching on the ground with one knee touching the ground. She reveals her ample bosom by removing her shirt, her arms raised above her shoulders to undress. Given Castaing's classical training at the Beaux-Arts and the influence of ancient statuary...

Classic pastel on paper of seated nude female in orange, circa 1990. Original artwork on paper displayed on a white mat with a gold border. Archival plastic sleeve and Certificate o...

Elegant pencil and pastel nude female in pink, circa 1990. Original artwork on paper displayed on a white mat with a gold border. Archival plastic sleeve and ...

Fantastic pencil and pastel female nude standing in shades of pale purples and greens, 1990s. Original artwork on paper displayed on a white mat with a gold border. Archival plastic...