Reclining Nude (Femme nue étendue sur un lit)

Discussion

FROM THE BARNES FOUNDATION’S CATALOG

Van Gogh painted very few nudes, partially because he rarely had enough money for hiring models. This work presents the female body with a curious mixture of allure and revulsion. Curvy hips and closed eyes are traditional signs of sensuality, but the exposed body hair and coarse facial features certainly challenge 19th-century conventions of beauty.

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