Naked at dawn 1932

Paul Delvaux made this painting, "Naked at dawn," using oil on canvas. Delvaux lived through two World Wars, but his work is more informed by the Symbolist and Surrealist movements. Here, the female nude is positioned in a liminal space, half in and half out of bed, her face turned to meet the viewer's gaze. The painting’s cool palette and somewhat flattened perspective contribute to its dreamlike quality. The nude is not eroticized, but rather presented as a figure of contemplation. Delvaux was interested in portraying women as enigmatic and alluring, reflecting an idealized vision of femininity. "Naked at dawn" resonates with themes of self-discovery, challenging traditional representations of women in art by focusing on the subject's inner world and the power of female subjectivity.