Nude on the Couch 1943

"Nude on the Couch" by Theodor Pallady is a watercolour wash of browns, pinks, blues, and creams. You can tell that Pallady was working quickly, mapping out form with loose and gestural marks that create a sense of light, shadow, and texture. I imagine Pallady, with his materials, working and reworking the composition, trying to capture the essence of the figure and setting. This approach suggests that painting for him was a process of discovery, of feeling and finding the image through the act of its creation. The nude reclines with a sleepy gaze that oozes casual confidence. Pallady captures the softness of the nude form by building up layers of colour and shadow, using delicate brushstrokes to define the contours of the body. The composition of this painting reminds me of other artists who were working with similar subjects and approaches like Vuillard. Painting can feel like such a conversation across time, and Pallady certainly found his voice within that history!