Study of a Nude 1930 - 1932

Mikuláš Galanda made this nude study with oil on canvas. The blues and oranges create a kind of quiet tension. See how the dark background pushes the figure forward, yet also seems to swallow it up? The model's pose is a bit of a mystery. She's either hiding her face, or maybe she's just lost in thought, taking a moment. There’s something about the way Galanda builds up the paint in layers, especially around the back and shoulders. You can see the brushstrokes, like he's not trying to hide the process. It makes the whole thing feel very present, very human. The color is so built up, like layers of skin. It reminds me a bit of Cézanne, the way he was always searching for form through color. Both artists share an interest in the body as a landscape. And I'm always drawn to work that leaves room for questions, for different ways of seeing.