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Nu tenant un miroir by Pablo Picasso
By Pablo Picasso
Located in New Orleans, LA
Pablo Picasso
1881-1973 Spanish
Nu tenant un miroir
(Nude holding a mirror)
Signed "Picasso" (lower right)
Pen and ink on paper
Pablo Picasso's Rose Period is among the most icon...
Category
Early 20th Century Nude Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Ink, Pen
Concours de Chiens au Promenade by Otto Eerelman
By Otto Eerelman
Located in New Orleans, LA
Otto Eerelman
1839-1926 Dutch
Concours de Chiens au Promenade
Watercolor on paper
Signed “O. Eerelman 1904” (lower left)
A tour de force watercolor by celebrated Dutch artist Otto Eerelman, one of 19th-century Europe's most popular and important animal portraitists, this charming composition captures a bustling cross-section of fashionable elites walking their equally fashionable canine companions. Eerleman takes care to render the detailed attire of his subjects, complete with plumed hats and layers of lace trim. The artist paints the plethora of pets in equally painstaking detail, capturing the nuances of each different breed represented.
Eerelman mastered the art of depicting not only the dogs’ physical characteristics but also their unique expressions and personalities. His wealthy clientele would bring their pets to his home in The Hague where they would live for a period of time while having their portraits done, allowing for a remarkably true-to-life portrayal. This energetic watercolor, with its profusion of color and texture, harnesses the affluence of its subjects and the leisurely whimsy of their luxurious lives.
Hailing from Groningen, Netherlands, Eerelman was dubbed the “Northern Rembrandt” during his lifetime. He received his artistic training at the Academy Minerva in Groningen, the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp and then private lessons in the studio of the great Lawrence Alma Tadema. He successfully captured the attention of the Dutch court, particularly Princess Wilhelmina...
Category
Early 20th Century Post-Impressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Watercolor
Nu allongé avec bracelet by Tamara de Lempicka
By Tamara de Lempicka
Located in New Orleans, LA
Tamara De Lempicka
1898-1980 Polish
Nu allongé avec bracelet
(Nude lying down with bracelet)
Signed “Lempicka”(bottom right)
Pencil on paper
This exquisite pencil on paper by Tam...
Category
20th Century Modern Nude Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Pencil
L’Heure du goûter! by Jules-Émile Saintin
Located in New Orleans, LA
Jules-Émile Saintin
1829-1894 French
L’Heure du goûter!
(Snack Time!)
Signed "Jules-Émile Saintin" (lower right)
Charcoal and white chalk on paper
A tender moment unfolds as a young girl leans over her bowl of soup, savoring her midday snack with focus and delight. Her spoon rests beside a slice of bread on the polished tabletop, while a cup, perhaps filled with tea or chocolate, and a second piece of bread complete the simple yet cozy scene. Nearby, her stuffed toy lies temporarily forgotten atop a shawl, hinting at the world of play just briefly paused.
The setting is intricately detailed. The dining room showcases a marble fireplace adorned with a clock, fine porcelain and delicate cups. Saintin’s composition captures the quiet grace of the moment as well as the interplay of light and texture, skillfully rendered using only charcoal and white chalk. His ability to infuse luminosity into a monochrome drawing speaks to his refined technique and observational sensitivity. This work resonates with Saintin’s charming studies of children during his American period, such as A Little Girl Dozing Over Her Drawing (possibly a portrait of Jennie Walters), now in the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore.
Born in 1829 in Lemé, Saintin began painting at age 11 and was admitted to the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris by 16. Trained under Martin Drölling and Édouard Picot, he became an accomplished portraitist and debuted at the Salon des Artistes Français in 1848, earning several medals.
In 1853, he moved to New York to work in a photography studio, soon dedicating himself fully to painting. He exhibited regularly at the National Academy of Design—becoming a member in 1858—and gained a strong reputation for his portraits of American elites, as well as for his depictions of landscapes and Native American clothing...
Category
19th Century Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Chalk, Charcoal
Fête de Neuilly by Eugène Galien-Laloue
By Eugene Galien-Laloue
Located in New Orleans, LA
Eugène Galien-Laloue
1854-1941 I French
Fête de Neuilly
Signed "E. Galien-Laloue" (lower left)
Watercolor, graphite and gouache, heightened with white, on paper, mounted on board
...
Category
20th Century Academic Landscape Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Watercolor, Gouache, Board, Graphite
Fruit by Alphonse Mucha
By Alphonse Mucha
Located in New Orleans, LA
Alphonse Mucha
1860-1939 Czech
Fruit
Signed "Mucha" (lower left)
Pastel on paper
"Art only exists to communicate a spiritual message." —Alphonse Mucha
Alphonse Mucha's distincti...
Category
19th Century Art Nouveau Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Pastel
Smiling Nude by Tamara de Lempicka
By Tamara de Lempicka
Located in New Orleans, LA
Tamara de Lempicka
1898-1980 Polish
Smiling Nude
Signed “Lempicka”(bottom right)
Pencil on paper
“Everything that I did was never done like the others were doing... I wanted to d...
Category
20th Century Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Pencil
Guitare sur un guéridon by Pablo Picasso
By Pablo Picasso
Located in New Orleans, LA
Pablo Picasso
1881-1973 Spanish
Guitare sur un guéridon
(Guitar on a pedestal)
Gouache on Western wove paper laid on board
Signed “Picasso” (upper left)
Picasso’s prolific career has been marked by many grand love affairs, both romantic, intellectual and creative. Beyond his lovers like Olga Khoklova and Dora Maar and his intellectual muses like Georges Braques and Gertrude Stein, Picasso’s greatest love and inspiration was perhaps a humble instrument: the guitar. Whether it be the Old Guitarist from his early blue period, his groundbreaking series of three-dimensional guitar sculptures from his nascent explorations in Cubism, or his Mandolin and Guitar composition’s grander explorations with color and biomorphic shapes, the guitar is an elusive calling card for modern art’s greatest genius.
In Guitare sur un guéridon, Picasso intertwines his signature guitar and a bowl of fruit. These two elements are playfully brought together and skillfully anchored on the tabletop by a square positioned at the center of the composition. The result is a captivating and harmonious arrangement that showcases Picasso's artistic ingenuity in blending these everyday objects into a visually striking and cohesive composition.
This rare gouache was created during the pivotal summer of 1920. During this time, Picasso lived in Juan-les-Pins, a small coastal resort town in the South of France away from the confines of the city and the fallout of World War I. With this newfound freedom, Picasso entered an exciting and innovative creative period and began to interrogate the connections between Neoclassicism and Cubism.
Picasso created a series of gouache paintings characterized by their flat, geometric nature, sinuous contours and strikingly vivid colors. Though not a complete departure from his previous Cubist works, this series showcased the influence of the Surrealists, especially the biomorphic subconscious explorations of Joan Miró, upon Picasso’s oeuvre. While the breadth of his creativity grew, he returned back to a familiar motif — the guitar — with a renewed sense of vigor and excitement.
Guitare sur un guéridon’s undulating lines and biomorphic appeal bring Picasso's preoccupation with the guitar into deeper focus. The sinuous lines of guitar mirror...
Category
20th Century Post-Impressionist Abstract Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Gouache, Board
Jan Cornelis Sylvius, Preacher by Rembrandt Van Rijn
By Rembrandt van Rijn
Located in New Orleans, LA
Rembrandt van Rijn
1606–1669 Dutch
Jan Cornelis Sylvius, Preacher
New Hollstein Dutch and Flemish (Rembrandt) 235, state 2/2
Bartsch 280
Printed by Rembrandt
Signed and dated "Rem...
Category
17th Century Old Masters Portrait Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Etching
Thinking by Tamara de Lempicka
By Tamara de Lempicka
Located in New Orleans, LA
Tamara De Lempicka
1898-1980 Polish
Thinking
Signed “Lempicka”(bottom right)
Pencil on paper
This enchanting pencil on paper by Tamara de Lempicka radiates Art Deco's signature b...
Category
20th Century Art Deco Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Pencil
Femme mettant ses bas by Maximilien Luce
By Maximilien Luce
Located in New Orleans, LA
Maximilien Luce
1858-1941 French
Femme mettant ses bas
(Woman putting on her stockings)
Pastel on paper
Signed "Luce 89" (lower left)
Maximilien Luce’s Femme mettant ses bas is a...
Category
19th Century Post-Impressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Pastel
Woman Bathing Her Feet in a Brook by Rembrandt van Rijn
By Rembrandt van Rijn
Located in New Orleans, LA
Rembrandt van Rijn
1606-1669 Dutch
Woman Bathing Her Feet in a Brook
Etching on paper
New Hollstein's 309, second state of II
Signed and dated "Rembrandt f. 1658" (upper left)
Created from observations of a live model, this work started as a figure study before evolving into a more imaginative setting. It remains ambiguous whether the scene is set indoors, as suggested by the cushion the figure is seated on, or outdoors, indicated by the foliage in the background. The omission of her feet, suggesting they may be dangling in a brook, adds a charming touch to Rembrandt’s imaginative scene. The figure seems unaware of the viewer, presenting a dignified yet sensual demeanor.
The son of a miller, Rembrandt van Rijn is believed to have been born in Leiden on July 15, 1606. He studied first at the Latin School and then was enrolled at the University of Leiden at the age of 14. He soon left to study art—first with a local master, Jacob van Swanenburch, and then, in Amsterdam, with Pieter Lastman...
Category
17th Century Old Masters Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Etching, Paper
Charcoal Portrait of Sir Winston Churchill, Circa 1935
Located in New Orleans, LA
Portrait of Sir Winston Churchill
English I 1874-1965
Charcoal on paper
Signed lower right (indiscernible)
This lifetime charcoal portrait of Winston Churchill, dating to around 19...
Category
20th Century Realist Portrait Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Charcoal
Conte Hindou En Noir By Erté
By Erte - Romain de Tirtoff
Located in New Orleans, LA
Erté (Romain de Tirtoff)
1892-1990 Russian-French
Conte Hindou en noir
Signed “Erté”(middle right)
Inscribed "Inscribed 1922" (en verso)
Gouache on paper
Designed for a 1922 show at the Folies Bergère, Erté draws inspiration from the splendors of India in Conte Hindou (Hindu Story). The central bare-chested figure, adorned with a resplendent jewel-encrusted headpiece and draped in cascading pearl...
Category
20th Century Art Deco Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Gouache
Vendedora By Diego Rivera
By Diego Rivera
Located in New Orleans, LA
Diego Rivera
1886-1957 Mexican
Vendedora
(Vendor)
Signed and dated (lower right)
Watercolor on rice paper
Diego Rivera stands among the most important artists of the 20th century...
Category
20th Century Post-Impressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Watercolor, Rice Paper
Danseuse By Pierre Carrier-Belleuse
By Pierre Carrier-Belleuse
Located in New Orleans, LA
Pierre Carrier-Belleuse
1851-1932 French
Danseuse
Signed “Pierre Carrier-Belleuse” (lower right)
Pastel on canvas
Strikingly elegant, this extraordinary pastel by French impressi...
Category
19th Century Impressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Canvas, Pastel
Marschlandschaft (mit drei Hausern) by Emil Nolde
By Emil Nolde
Located in New Orleans, LA
Emil Nolde
1867-1956 German
Marschlandschaft (mit drei Häusern)
Marshland (With Three Houses)
Signed “Nolde” (lower right)
Watercolor on Japan paper
A work of engaging richness and emotion, Marschlandschaft (mit drei Häusern) invites the viewer directly into the heart of the intuitive, poetic world of Emil Nolde. An essential figure in the German avant-garde, Nolde’s highly modern oeuvre stands as an important precursor to the Abstract Expressionists of the mid-20th century. With its vivid colors and emotional intensity, the present work is exemplary of his output, containing all of the best characteristics of his mature style.
Brilliant, amorphous fields of color suggest the vast, marshy landscape of Nolde’s native Schleswig-Holstein region near the German-Danish border. The artist’s application of paint is powerful and dramatic, conveying with a few brushstrokes the impression of passing storm clouds, allowing light and sky to peek through and illuminate the colors of his landscape. A sense of fluidity and immediacy were of great importance to Nolde. He once said, “I try to avoid all thinking. A vague concept of color and luminosity suffices, and the picture evolves during the act of painting.” The flow and spontaneity of watercolor lent themselves well to Nolde’s creative approach, and he achieved a vibrancy in the medium that is unsurpassed.
Nolde is considered one of the most important exponents of German Expressionism and was one of the most prominent representatives of the avant-garde in Germany. His participation in the seminal group Die Brücke (The Bridge) links him to one of the earliest artists' associations which had a crucial impact on the development of modern art. His interplay of color and form set him apart from his contemporaries, and his work is recognized as a monumental step toward modernism.
However, Nolde’s work was derided in his day by the Nazi regime in Germany, and he was forbidden from painting. Deemed too “decadent,” 33 of his works were displayed in the infamous Entartete Kunst, Degenerate Art Exhibition in Munich in 1937, labeling the artist's works as a “threat” to Germany. The Nazi Party destroyed hundreds of Nolde's works and confiscated over one thousand more — the greatest number of any artist — highlighting the rarity of the present composition.
Throughout his career, Nolde received numerous awards, including the Print Prize of the XXVL Venice Biennale and the Order “Pour le mérite...
Category
20th Century Post-Impressionist Landscape Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Watercolor
La Veuve Rusée By Erté
By Erte - Romain de Tirtoff
Located in New Orleans, LA
Erté (Romain de Tirtoff)
1892-1990 Russian-French
La Veuve Rusée
Signed “Erté” (lower right)
Gouache on paper
La Veuve Rusée, first performed in 1748 in Venice, is a comedy cente...
Category
20th Century Art Deco Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Gouache
Boucles D'oreilles En Corail By Erté
By Erte - Romain de Tirtoff
Located in New Orleans, LA
Erté (Romain de Tirtoff)
1892-1990 Russian-French
Boucles d'oreilles en corail
(Coral Earrings)
Signed “Erté” (lower right)
Inscribed “n°3544 / Boucles d'oreilles en corail et tub...
Category
20th Century Art Deco Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Gouache
Les Travestis By Erté
By Erte - Romain de Tirtoff
Located in New Orleans, LA
Erté (Romain de Tirtoff)
1892-1990 Russian-French
Les travestis (The Transvestites)
Signed “Erté” (lower right)
Inscribed "No. 18.363 / Moi, j'aime le music-hall / Les Travestis" (en verso)
Gouache on paper
Erté’s costume...
Category
20th Century Art Deco Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Gouache
Conte Hindou En Blanc By Erté
By Erte - Romain de Tirtoff
Located in New Orleans, LA
Erté (Romain de Tirtoff)
1892-1990 Russian-French
Conte Hindou en blanc
Signed “Erté”(middle right)
Inscribed "No. 76 / Conte Hindou 1922" (en verso)
Gouache on paper
Designed fo...
Category
20th Century Art Deco Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Paper, Gouache
Gysie by Erté
By Erte - Romain de Tirtoff
Located in New Orleans, LA
Erté (Romain de Tirtoff)
1892-1990 Russian-French
Gysie
Signed "Erté"(lower right)
Inscribed "No. 5442" (en verso)
Gouache on paper
An enthralling pink gown by Erté is namedGysie,...
Category
20th Century Art Deco Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Gouache
Arthémis by Erté
By Erte - Romain de Tirtoff
Located in New Orleans, LA
Erté (Romain de Tirtoff)
1892-1990 Russian-French
Arthémis
Signed “Erté” (lower right)
Inscribed No. 4.8 (en verso)
Gouache on paper
This original gouache from the creative mind ...
Category
20th Century Art Deco Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Gouache
Les fleurs du mal by Erté
By Erte - Romain de Tirtoff
Located in New Orleans, LA
Erté (Romain de Tirtoff)
1892-1990 Russian-French
Fleurs du Mal(The Flowers of Evil)
Signed "Erté" (lower right)
Inscribed 114.6 (en verso)
Gouache on paper
Captivating and vibrant, this colorful gouache entitledFleurs du Mal showcases Erté's masterful creativity and keen eye. Inspired by Les Fleurs du mal, the famed volume of poems by French writer Charles Baudelaire, this ensemble marries light purple and green floral motifs with the suggestive form of red lips poised for a smooch. This daring yet feminine appearance encapsulates the Art Deco allure for which the artist's creations are cherished. The sophisticated arrangement emanates the fundamental richness and theatricality that can only be accomplished by Erté, often hailed as the "Father of Art Deco."
First published in 1857, Baudelaire's Les Fleurs du mal was controversial for its suggestive content and themes of decadence and eroticism. The volume provided a wealth of inspiration for Erté and he drew from several themes to create original fashion sketches...
Category
20th Century Art Deco Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Gouache
Mistinguett by Erté
By Erte - Romain de Tirtoff
Located in New Orleans, LA
Erté (Romain de Tirtoff)
1892-1990 Russian-French
Mistinguett
Signed "Erté" (lower right)
Stamped "Composition originale" (en verso)
Gouache on paper
Erté designed this costume fo...
Category
20th Century Art Deco Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Gouache
L'Aurore boréale by Erté
By Erte - Romain de Tirtoff
Located in New Orleans, LA
Erté (Romain de Tirtoff)
1892-1990 Russian-French
L'Aurore boréale(The Aurora Borealis)
Signed "Erté" (lower right)
Inscribed ---- (en verso)
Gouache on paper
In this colorful gouache, Erté draws an enticing and unique fashion design on his model's elegantly elongated figure. Crowned by an elaborate headdress, the woman wears a daring gauzy caftan that drapes dangerously low, celebrating her nude form. EntitledL'Aurore Boréale" or The Aurora Borealis, this work embodies the Art Deco glamour for which the artist's designs are so beloved. This ensemble was inspired by Les Fleurs du mal, the famed volume of poems from iconic French writer Charles Baudelaire. As the name suggests, this creative design links the celebrated "fleur" orchids with one of nature's other great marvels, the Aurora Borealis. This refined piece of art radiates the essential luxury and theatricality that could only be accomplished by Erté, oft referred to as the "Father of Art Deco."
First published in 1857, Baudelaire's Les Fleurs du mal was controversial for its suggestive content and themes of decadence and eroticism. The volume provided a wealth of inspiration for Erté and he drew from several themes to create original fashion sketches...
Category
20th Century Art Deco Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Gouache
Ave Maria by Erté
By Erte - Romain de Tirtoff
Located in New Orleans, LA
Erté (Romain de Tirtoff)
1892-1990 Russian-French
Ave Maria
Signed "Erté" (center right)
Inscribed "N°1.349 / Victor Herbert Finale / Ave Maria / Décor / G.W.S. 1928" (en verso)
Go...
Category
20th Century Art Deco Abstract Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Gouache
La Dionée Dite Gobe-Mouches By Erté
By Erte - Romain de Tirtoff
Located in New Orleans, LA
Erté (Romain de Tirtoff)
1892-1990 Russian-French
La dionée dite Gobe-mouches(Venus Flytrap)
Signed "Erté" (lower right)
Inscribed ---- (en verso)
Gouache on paper
Daring and mysterious, this original gouache from the creative mind of Erté features the sinuous figure of a woman wearing a unique ebony and sanguine body suit with a dramatic wing-like cape. Entitled La dionée dite Gobe-mouches or Venus Flytrap, this work embodies the Art Deco glamour and tongue-in-cheek artistry for which the artist's designs are so beloved. Inspired by the famed volume of poems from iconic French writer Charles Baudelaire, this ensemble showcases Erté's sartorial interpretation of La Vampire from Baudelaire's Les Fleurs du mal. This elegant composition exudes the quintessential opulence and drama that only Erté, the oft-called "Father of Art Deco," could achieve.
La dionée dite Gobe-mouches showcases the breadth of Erté's creativity and his design expertise. First published in 1857, Baudelaire's Les Fleurs du mal was controversial for its suggestive content and themes of decadence and eroticism. The volume provided a wealth of inspiration for Erté and he drew from several specific poems to create original fashion sketches...
Category
20th Century Art Deco Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Gouache
Portrait of a Mother and Child by Tsuguharu Foujita
By Léonard Tsuguharu Foujita
Located in New Orleans, LA
Tsuguharu Foujita
1886-1968 Japanese-French
Portrait of a Mother and Child
Signed “Foujita / Paris” (lower left)
Ink and watercolor on paper
An artistic luminary well ahead of his time, Tsuguharu Foujita burst onto the international art scene in the early 20th century as one of the most important artists in early Japanese modernism...
Category
20th Century Post-Impressionist Portrait Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Ink, Watercolor
The Buttonhole By Charles Spencelayh
By Charles Spencelayh
Located in New Orleans, LA
Charles Spencelayh
1865-1958 British
The Buttonhole
Signed “C.SPENCELAYH” (lower left) and inscribed “This Drawing was accepted into the Royal Academy but crowded out for want of ...
Category
20th Century Academic Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Watercolor, Pencil
Piccadilly Circus by Fortunino Matania
By Fortunino Matania
Located in New Orleans, LA
Fortunino Matania
1881-1963 Italian
Piccadilly Circus
Signed “Matania” (center, on bus)
Watercolor and gouache on paper
This exceptional watercolor and gouache composition by fam...
Category
Early 20th Century Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Watercolor, Gouache
Le Fondeur De Bronze By Lucien Lévy-Dhurmer
By Lucien Levy-Dhurmer
Located in New Orleans, LA
Lucien Lévy-Dhurmer
1865-1953 French
Le fondeur de bronze
Signed "Levy Dhurmer" (lower right)
Pastel on paper
French painter Lucien Lévy-Dhurmer was one of the leading artists of...
Category
Early 20th Century Post-Impressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Pastel
Caricatures Of Queen Victoria And Edward VII By Sir Leslie Matthew Ward (Spy)
Located in New Orleans, LA
Sir Leslie Matthew Ward (aka Spy)
1851-1922 British
Caricatures of Queen Victoria and Edward VII
Charcoal on paper
These satirical caricatures of Queen Victoria and Edward VII of...
Category
Early 20th Century Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Charcoal
Homme à l'agneau, mangeur de pastèque et flûtiste
By Pablo Picasso
Located in New Orleans, LA
Signed, dated and numbered “Picasso / 3.2.67 / II” (upper right)
Crayon on paper
Hailed among the fathers of modern art, Pablo Picasso possessed a seemingly e...
Category
20th Century Modern Nude Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Crayon
Winter Shadows, New York by Stefan Bleekrode
Located in New Orleans, LA
Stefan Bleekrode
b.1986 Dutch
Winter Shadows, New York
Black ink and watercolor on paper
Signed and dated "S. Bleekrode '18-'20" (upper right)
Thi...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Post-Impressionist Landscape Drawings and ...
Materials
Paper, Ink, Watercolor
Study for “L’Acropole”
By Paul Delvaux
Located in New Orleans, LA
Paul Delvaux
1897-1994 Belgian
Study for “L’Acropole”
Signed and dated "P.Delvaux 1965" (lower right)
Watercolor, pen and ink on paper
This preliminary drawing for Paul Delvaux’s greatest masterpiece L’Acropole, which resides today in the Centre Pompidou in Paris, features the artist’s most beloved subject — mystical scenes of nude women. A centrally-placed, stoic woman draped in a long green gown stands with her arms outstretched by her sides. She gazes at another idealized woman in the foreground, lying nude on a chaise lounge, while behind her, multitudes of other women in white dresses undertake a long procession towards a distant door. The captivating scene exudes the unique Surrealist style for which the artist has become known.
With this skillful rendering of the surreal setting, Delvaux has mastered depicting nude women in a sensual yet non-erotic manner. The artist drew inspiration from a variety of sources, including the futuristic writings of Jules Verne and the mythos of Homer, and blended them with his subconscious themes, which frequently included the nude female form. In combination with the loose concepts of form and perspective found in the 16th-century Mannerist paintings that Delvaux studied in Italy before World War II, his distinctive style served to create memorable dreamscapes without veering into lewdness. Like the very best Surrealist images, the work is both innovative and engaging.
Paul Delvaux's earliest and most lasting influences in his art were the futuristic writings of Jules Verne and the mythos of Homer. After completing his initial artistic training at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, Delvaux exhibited with Surrealists Dalí...
Category
20th Century Post-Impressionist Nude Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Ink, Watercolor, Pen
Portrait of Lucie Gérard by Giovanni Boldini
By Giovanni Boldini
Located in New Orleans, LA
Giovanni Boldini
1842-1931 Italian
Portrait of Lucie Gérard by Giovanni Boldini
Signed “Boldini” (lower right)
Pastel on canvas
This exceptional portrait was composed by the great Giovanni Boldini, one of the most important portrait painters of the Belle Époque. The charming work captures the young, elegant French...
Category
19th Century Post-Impressionist Portrait Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Canvas, Pastel
From a Flying Fortress over England by Peter Hurd
By Peter Hurd
Located in New Orleans, LA
Peter Hurd
1904 - 1984 American
From a Flying Fortress over England
Signed, inscribed and dated: "Peter Hurd England 1942" (bottom left)
Watercolor on paper
Acclaimed American painter Peter Hurd demonstrates his mastery of capturing a specificity of place in his watercolor painting From a Flying Fortress over England. Hailing from his acclaimed “War Sketches,” Hurd’s trademark expressive brushwork and soft palette create an immersive, evocative scene.
The acclaimed “War Sketches” series began in 1942, when Hurd was invited by Life magazine to travel with the US Air Force as a War Correspondent. This assignment represented a convergence in Hurd’s interests, as the artist had graduated from the New Mexico...
Category
20th Century Landscape Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Watercolor
Japanese Shunga, Sitting Woman
Located in New Orleans, LA
A beautiful example of the Japanese art form known as shunga, this sensual work depicts woman exploring her sexuality. Hand-painted on paper with splashes of vivid gouache color, the...
Category
Early 20th Century Other Art Style Nude Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paint, Paper, Gouache
A Study of Two Models by Sir William Russell Flint
By William Russell Flint
Located in New Orleans, LA
Sir William Russell Flint, R.A., P.R.W.S.1880-1969 Scottish
A Study of Two Models
Signed "WRussell Flint" (bottom right)
Ethereal and sen...
Category
20th Century Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Chalk
La femme aux fleurs (Portrait de Mathilde See)
By Paul César Helleu
Located in New Orleans, LA
Paul César Helleu is regarded among the most sought-after society portraitists of his era, and his Belle Époque works rival those of his contemporaries John Singer Sargent and Giovanni Boldini. He is best remembered for capturing the era's most beautiful socialites, including Consuelo Vanderbilt, the Duchess of Marlborough, the Comtesse de Loriol Chandieu and the Comtesse Mathieu de Noailles, among others. This work, however, stands out in that it captures the charming likeness of one of his art world cohorts, Mathilde See, a Parisian-born decorator and painter of floral still lifes. She is the essence of the modern woman, captured in her fashionable dress as she strolls along the flower-lined streets of Paris.
Commanding in size, Portrait de Mathilde See fully displays Helleu's mastery over the medium of pastel. The muted palette of greys and blues is typical of the artist, bringing a harmony and cohesiveness to the composition. Furthermore, Helleu cleverly alludes to See's own artistic output with a backdrop of vibrant floral blooms, enlivening the canvas and complementing the greens and blues of the peacock feather adorning her hat.
The portrait is all the more significant thanks to its provenance. It was previously in the collection of A. Alfred Taubman, one of America's most successful entrepreneurs and one-time owner of Sotheby's. Considering Taubman encountered some of the most noteworthy and beautiful works of art ever made through his auction house, the fact that he chose this portrait by Helleu to grace his collection is a testament to its import.
Born in Brittany in 1859, Helleu moved to Paris in 1876 in order to study at the École des Beaux-Arts. Like so many other artists of his generation, he was trained there under the Academic master Jean-Léon Gérôme. That same year, he also attended the Second Impressionist Exhibition...
Category
20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings
Materials
Linen, Pastel
