Nude 1910

Roger de La Fresnaye made this painting of a Nude with oil on canvas, building the figure from an earthy palette of ochre, tan, and brown. Imagine the artist, stepping back, squinting, tilting their head, trying to get the angle just right. I love the way the dark brushstrokes define the edges of her form, almost like a shadow clinging to her skin. You can see how the artist has built up the planes of her body with these strokes, giving her a sculptural, almost architectural quality. It makes me think about Cezanne and his bathers, all those broken planes and geometric forms. Look at the way the artist rendered her gaze. She seems to be looking down, lost in thought. What do you think she's thinking about? Maybe the artist was trying to capture something more than just her physical likeness, maybe he was trying to capture her inner life, her soul.