Mid 20th Century Mid-Century Female Nude Study – Oil on Canvas

Details

Description

A striking and evocative mid-century nude study, this oil on canvas painting captures the timeless beauty of the human form … Read more A striking and evocative mid-century nude study, this oil on canvas painting captures the timeless beauty of the human form with bold sensitivity and painterly control. Executed in a subdued palette of earth tones, slate gray, and golden olive, the composition depicts a seated female figure viewed in profile — her posture poised, introspective, and quietly powerful.

With roots in academic realism and hints of modernist influence, the work exemplifies classic atelier-style draftsmanship, particularly in the confident brushwork and dimensional modeling of the figure. The subject is placed against a softly abstracted background that allows the viewer to focus on the lines and curves of the human body. The piece is unframed and retains its original stretcher bars with tacking edges visible, enhancing its studio-fresh authenticity.

Inscribed “Nelson Grote” on the stretcher, the work is attributed to the American artist and educator known for his influence in 20th-century fine arts academia. Whether acquired as a statement in a curated gallery wall or as part of a growing collection of figurative work, this canvas offers aesthetic richness and a soulful, contemplative presence.

• Artist Attribution: Nelson Grote (inscribed on stretcher)
• Medium: Oil on canvas
• Era: Mid-20th Century (c. 1940s–60s)
• Subject: Female nude, seated in profile
• Style: Academic Realism, Atelier Figure Study, Modernist Realism
• Frame: Unframed, original wood stretcher
• Condition: Very good vintage condition with minor edge wear, light surface abrasions, and soft craquelure consistent with age. No holes or major loss. See less