Liggende naakte vrouw

About this artwork

Henri Fantin-Latour's *Liggende naakte vrouw* (Reclining Nude Woman), painted in 1874, is a delicate oil on canvas that captures the artist's mastery of intimate figure studies. Signed and dated "Fantin 74," this small work—measuring just 22.9 x 29.4 cm—invites close contemplation, its modest scale suggesting it may have been a personal sketch or preparatory piece rather than a grand salon entry. Fantin-Latour, a French Realist painter active in mid-19th-century Paris, bridged academic traditions with emerging modernist influences. Friends with Impressionists like Manet and Degas, he favored precise draftsmanship inspired by Ingres, evident here in the soft, luminous modeling of the figure's form. The nude reclining pose echoes classical motifs from Renaissance masters like Titian, yet Fantin-Latour infuses it with a tender, almost dreamlike realism, highlighting skin tones and subtle shadows through fine oil glazes. Housed in the Rijksmuseum, this piece reflects the era's fascination with the female form amid debates over nudity in art—from academic ateliers to avant-garde salons. Its quiet elegance offers visitors a glimpse into Fantin-Latour's private process, where technical virtuosity meets sensual observation.