20th Century Nude Drawings and Watercolors

Robert Noel Blair (American, 1912-2003) was an American artist, painter, sculptor, printmaker and teacher. He is best known for his rural life & desert landscapes and World War II sc...

Robert Gilberg (1911-1970) "Reclining Nude 2" c.1950s Ink on Japanese rice paper with writing 21.75"x9.75 unframed Signed in pencil lower right

Michael Leonard, (British b.1933), Chimera I, 1975, Graphite pencil on paper, initialled (lower left), signed and dated (lower right), 15cm x 14cm, (35cm x 32cm framed) Michael Leon...

Elegant eglomisé mirrored glass panel painting by Leon Masson (1911 - 1987). This finely etched plaque features a young naked woman on a balcony with a blackbird. The background's details show a lush landscape with a town or village on the hillside. The engraved signature of the artist is in the bottom right corner. The eglomised mirror panel is encased into two sheets of clear glass, then framed with a contemporary blackened carved wood frame with Renaissance style. Measurements: Overall with frame: 18.19 in. wide (46.5 cm) x 21.44 in. high (54.5 cm). Plaque size: 10 in wide (25.5 cm) x 13.19 in. high (33.5 cm). Please note that all the nuances of colors visible on the mirror panel are due to the reflections of the objects and the environment around the piece. The photos of the plaque taken flat reflect the exact color of the painting. About: Léon Masson (1911-1984) was a painter, illustrator, sculptor, and creator of jewelry and decorative objects. He was born in Simiane near Aix-en-Provence, France. Some of his works were acquired by the Louvre Museum in Paris. He produced sculptures for the Montreal Olympic Games in 1976. He also worked for the Christian Dior house...

Watercolour and Chinese ink on paper, signed and dated (upper right), 10cm x 17cm (30cm x 38cm framed). George Barbier was one of the great French illustrators of the early 20th century. Born in Nantes, France on 16 October 1882, Barbier was 29 years old when he mounted his first exhibition in 1911 and was subsequently swept to the forefront of his profession with commissions to design theatre and ballet costumes...

Charcoal, ink and ink wash, and collage on paper, signed and dated (lower right), 70cm x 51cm (78cm x 59cm framed). The picture is floated within the frame, behind non-reflective UV glass. Renowned as Australia’s foremost surrealist painter and poet, James Gleeson...

Work on paper Golden wooden frame with glass pane 44.5 x 25.5 x 1.5 cm

James Tissot was among the most successful and critically acclaimed artists of the Victorian era. Although the artist is celebrated for his elegant scenes of fashionable life in Paris and London, this work is a fascinating rarity within his oeuvre. In this monumental pastel, Tissot depicts a prehistoric woman draped in a tiger skin, presented with a striking pose and heroic air. His delicate portraiture, combined with his fascination with conveying texture, demonstrates why he was one of the most revered artists of his generation, and La femme préhistorique illustrates the remarkable technique for which he was renowned. This work was completed in preparation for a series of works exploring the Old Testament undertaken by Tissot from 1899-1902 that remained unfinished at the time of his death. A portion of this series focused on illustrations of Adam and Eve, and among these sketches were images of a nude Eve partially draped in animal furs. Towards the end of his life, following his conversion to Catholicism, biblical subjects became important to the artist. A few years before this work was completed, Tissot embarked upon a highly ambitious group of nearly 300 watercolors illustrating the New Testament, presenting the illustrated epic in its entirety at the Paris Salon of 1894. Both of these series were a critical artistic departure for the artist, stemming from a desire to create works separated from his typical images of modern society. This pastel imagines Eve as the prototype of womanhood in the guise of a prehistoric woman. Tissot rarely painted the nude, and his skill as a draftsman highlights the figure's natural beauty, contrasting it with the stark landscape surrounding her. Although a study, this monumental work is incredibly well-finished and highly engaging, with the statuesque model commanding the majority of the canvas. Her pose is strong and theatrical, and she addresses the viewer with a direct, confident gaze. The imagined historical subject of this drawing is grounded by Tissot’s exceptional attention to detail. A master of conjuring an array of textures, Tissot showcased this ability in this work by juxtaposing many types of fabrics and natural elements within one composition. The tiger skin with which the woman partially covers herself was a favorite studio prop of Tissot’s, appearing in many of his most influential works from the period, including several paintings of his partner and favorite model Kathleen Newton. It, in particular, showcases the artist’s understanding of texture, yet it also serves as an exotic element that elevates the sensuality of the scene when placed against the woman’s bare skin. Born in 1836 in the port town of Nantes, Tissot traveled to Paris at the age of 20 in order to join the studios of Hippolyte Flandrin and Louis Lamothe. During this period, he became close with James Abbott McNeill Whistler, Edgar Degas and Edouard Manet, and the impact of these friendships is reflected in his portraits of modern life. Having enjoyed considerable success in Paris during the 1860s, Tissot fought in the Siege of Paris, and after the fall of the Commune in 1871, he went to London, where he stayed for the next ten years. He was met with incredible success there, and he also met the love of his life, Kathleen Newton, a divorcée, with whom he lived from about 1876 until her death in 1882. Today he is regarded among the great masters of Belle Époque painting, and his works can be found in important collections worldwide, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Brooklyn Museum, the National Gallery of Art, the Musée d’Orsay, the Tate Gallery and many others. This pastel remained in Tissot's private collection until his death in 1902 and is referenced in the posthumous 1902-3 valuation of Tissot's home at 64 avenue du Bois...

John Begg studied art at Columbia University, with Arthur Wesley Dow, with Charles Martin, and studied sculpture with Jose De Creeft and Ossip Zadkine.  He was a member of the  Ameri...

Work on paper Silver aluminum frame with glass pane 40,5 x 50,5 x 2 cm

John Begg studied art at Columbia University, with Arthur Wesley Dow, with Charles Martin, and studied sculpture with Jose De Creeft and Ossip Zadkine.  He was a member of the  Ameri...

Gaston COPPENS (1909 - 2002) Natural Beauty, Five Studies of Nude Original charcoal drawing Handsigned on the back of the sheet (see photo) On black paper 65 x 50 cm (c. 25,5 x 19,6 inch) Very good condition, a few small surface defects on the edge Gaston Coppens studied sculpture in the prestigious Ecoule Boulle (Paris). Working in Boulogne Billancourt, just near Paris, his drawings keep the influence of his first formation : modeling volumes, subliming with harmony light and shadow. He was also influenced by the first cubist painters...

Man Lying Naked is an original artwork realized by Jean Boullet. Original drawing in white pencil on black sheet of paper signed by Jean BOULLET (1921-19...

Signed, "A Rackham" lower right Sotheby's New York Arthur Rackham is widely regarded as one of the leading illustrators from the 'Golden Age' of British book illustration Rackham...

Painted circa 1955 by Robert George Gilberg (American, 1911-1970) and stamped, verso, with certification of authenticity. Born in Oakland, Robert George Gilberg first studied at the Oakland Art Center during the 1930s. Following service during WWII, he settled in Nevada City, California where he remained until shortly before his death in San Francisco. Gilberg exhibited widely and with success and was the recipient of numerous medals, prizes and juried awards, including at the San Francisco Museum of Fine Arts...

Nude is an original artwork realized by Angelo Sabbatani in 1970s Ink drawing on paper. Includes wooden frame: 47 x 1 x 37.5 cm Hand signed on the lower margin. Good conditions e...

Gaston COPPENS (1909 - 2002) The Awakening, Six Studies of Nude Original charcoal drawing Handsigned on the back of the sheet (see photo) On black paper 65 x 50 cm (c. 25,5 x 19,6 i...

Gina Bellando Gina Bellando is an award-winning artist and photographer with over 35 years or experience. She graduated with honors from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts i...

Original charcoal drawing by Russian-French artist, from the Art Deco period. 22 x 10 Inches without the frame. George Artemoff 1892 - 1965 George Artemoff was born in the Don Va...

Nude is an original drawing in pastel, realized by an Anonymous artist, prorably french, of the XX century. The State of preservation is good. The artwork represents a nude lying...

Nude is an original drawing, realized by Sergio Barletta in 1974. Hand-signed. In good condition. Here the artwork represents the woman sitting in a transparent cube...

Sitting Nude is an original drawing realized in the 1970s. Original white ink drawing on black cardboard. Good conditions. This interesting drawing represents a nude sitting woma...

This dynamic work by noted 20th century Italian artist Aldo Colo employs bold brushwork and an expressive style and technique to depict two beautifully painted figures adjusting a dr...

Superb period work from the 1960's era - very close in every respect to the later works by Pablo Picasso. The artwork is not signed but we believe it to be of French authorship. Pr...

Signed lower right, 'Gilberg' and painted circa 1955. A woman, drawn in variegated shades of ruby and garnet red, poses on a bed with incised details. Born in Oakland, Robert Geor...

Born in New York City in 1909, artist Leo Brooks spent the majority of his life working as a linotype operator for the New York Times before turning to painting at the age of 60 upon...

Medium: Watercolor on Paper Dimensions: 19.75" x 12.50"

Charcoal on paper