Emili Jewelry

The first decades of the 20th century were a period of artistic upheaval, with modern art movements including Cubism, Surrealism, Futurism and Dadaism questioning centuries of traditional views of what art should be. Using abstraction, experimental forms and interdisciplinary techniques, painters, sculptors, photographers, printmakers and performance artists all pushed the boundaries of creative expression.

Major exhibitions, like the 1913 Armory Show in New York City — also known as the “International Exhibition of Modern Art,” in which works like the radically angular Nude Descending a Staircase by Marcel Duchamp caused a sensation — challenged the perspective of viewers and critics and heralded the arrival of modern art in the United States. But the movement’s revolutionary spirit took shape in the 19th century.

The Industrial Revolution, which ushered in new technology and cultural conditions across the world, transformed art from something mostly commissioned by the wealthy or the church to work that responded to personal experiences. The Impressionist style emerged in 1860s France with artists like Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne and Edgar Degas quickly painting works that captured moments of light and urban life. Around the same time in England, the Pre-Raphaelites, like Edward Burne-Jones and Dante Gabriel Rossetti, borrowed from late medieval and early Renaissance art to imbue their art with symbolism and modern ideas of beauty.

Emerging from this disruption of the artistic status quo, modern art went further in rejecting conventions and embracing innovation. The bold legacy of leading modern artists Georges Braque, Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo, Salvador Dalí, Henri Matisse, Joan Miró, Marc Chagall, Piet Mondrian and many others continues to inform visual culture today.

Find a collection of modern paintings, sculptures, prints and other fine art on 1stDibs.

The human body has long been a favorite subject for artists throughout history. Nude drawings and watercolor paintings reveal the human figure but also the social ideals, traditions and cultural beliefs around people and bodies at the time they were created.

Nude drawings and watercolors offer a unique way to illustrate the human body. Drawings in pencil or ink can quickly capture movement or poses while watercolor is more expressive of a moment. Different cultures utilize the same materials differently, and each piece provides a singular glimpse into the perspectives and expectations around people’s bodies.

Artists like Francisco Goya, Gustav Klimt and Lucian Freud — who painted his friends, his lovers and his children — found acclaim and success by creatively depicting the human body. More recently, as contemporary artists have followed the figurative muse, many painters are exploring the nude as a subject for their drawings and works in watercolors.

If you’re thinking about bringing this kind of work into your space, there are many ways to consider how to arrange wall art in your living room or elsewhere in your home. Creating a wall of art is a wonderful way to enhance your space, showcase beautiful pieces and tie an interior design vision together. It allows you to evoke emotions in a room while also showing off your tastes and interests.

On 1stDibs, find a collection of nude drawings and watercolor paintings for diverse views and attitudes toward the human form through a range of cultures and times.