The artwork “Study of a Reclining Nude” by artist Eugene Delacroix, created in 1824, is an oil on canvas piece belonging to the Romanticism movement. The dimensions of the artwork are 33 by 49.5 centimeters, and it categorizes as a nude painting (nu). The piece is currently held in a private collection.
This work depicts a reclining female figure, seen from behind, with her torso twisted towards the viewer, allowing a partial profile of her face to be visible. Her figure is rendered with softly blended brushstrokes, highlighting the curvature of her back and the roundness of her hips and limbs. The color palette is subdued with earthy flesh tones set against a dark, undefined background and a starkly lit white pillow supporting her head.
The contrast between the light and shadows on her body accentuates the three-dimensionality of the form while perhaps conveying a certain emotional or psychological depth, a characteristic trait of the Romanticism era, where emotion and feeling were often prioritized. The intimacy of the scene is made more pronounced by the close perspective and the relaxed, unguarded pose of the subject. Delacroix’s masterful use of light and shadow not only molds the figure in space but also contributes to the overall mood of this contemplative piece.