Reclining Nude

n.d.

Jean-Jacques Henner

Artist, French, 1829 - 1905

Carved in high relief in white marble, a woman and the baby she holds are framed within a curved arch. The woman’s body faces us, but she turns her face to look down at the baby tucked into her left arm, to our right. The woman’s long hair is pulled back under a twisted band, and a few tendrils fall on her face. Her nose is pointed, and she has full lips over a narrow chin. Her dress is fastened on the chest with a button or brooch and is tied across the chest and high around the waist. The garment has elbow-length sleeves, and it falls in a swag across her hips over a long skirt that stops just short of her sandaled feet. The fabric is sheer so one nipple is visible, and the fabric gathers in fine, shallow folds. Her other elbow is bent and held by her side, and the fingers on both hands are noticeably long. The child turns a chubby face up to the woman and crosses his hands over his chest. He is covered only by a cloth across his middle, and he has short, wavy hair. Pudgy rolls make creases on his neck, arms, and especially chunky thighs. The niche in which they stand has a fluted shell in the rounded portion above molding. The remaining niche is smooth, and the entire sculpture is set into a tan-colored wall.

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    oil on canvas

  • Credit Line

    Timken Collection

  • Dimensions

    overall: 27.4 x 41.5 cm (10 13/16 x 16 5/16 in.)
    framed: 48.3 x 61.6 x 6.4 cm (19 x 24 1/4 x 2 1/2 in.)

  • Accession

    1960.6.22


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

(Fishel, Adler and Schwartz, New York); J.S. Aron; (sale, American Art Association, New York, 24 February 1921, no. 7).[1] William R. Timken [1866-1949], New York; by inheritance to his widow, Lillian Guyer Timken [1881-1959], New York; bequest 1960 to NGA.
[1]The American Art Annual, volume xviii (1921), p. 261 records the painting as having been sold, but does not record the buyer, nor has an annotated copy of the auction catalogue been discovered. It might have been Timken or an agent, as the Timkens were acquiring objects in New York around this time.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1967

  • Loan for display with permanent collection, Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia, Athens, 1967-1971.

1986

  • In Support of Liberty: European Paintings at the 1883 Pedestal Fund Art Loan Exhibition, The Parrish Art Museum, Southampton, New York; National Academy of Design, New York, 1986, no. 40, repro.

Bibliography

1965

  • Summary Catalogue of European Paintings and Sculpture. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1965: 67.

1968

  • National Gallery of Art. European Paintings and Sculpture, Illustrations. Washington, 1968: 59, repro.

1975

  • European Paintings: An Illustrated Summary Catalogue. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1975: 172, repro.

1985

  • European Paintings: An Illustrated Catalogue. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1985: 200, repro.

Inscriptions

upper right: HENNER

Wikidata ID

Q17782054


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