Artwork
Young Nude Seated on the Edge of a Well
Young Nude Seated on the Edge of a Well is an oil painting by the Fauvist artist Henri Lebasque. It dates from 1907 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
About this work
Overview
Henri Lebasque’s 1907 oil painting, Young Nude Seated on the Edge of a Well, depicts a solitary female figure positioned on a stone ledge beside an antiquated well. The work is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and exemplifies the artist’s early 20th‑century interest in intimate, everyday scenes rendered in vibrant pigment.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a young woman with flowing hair, clasped in both hands, gazing downward as if lost in contemplation. Her nude form, rendered with modesty, contrasts with the rough stone and the indistinct, aged well behind her, suggesting a quiet moment of reflection within a rustic environment.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil on canvas, Lebasque employs a lively palette and visible brushwork that animate the surface. The interplay of warm hues on the figure’s skin against cooler tones in the background creates depth, while the loose, gestural strokes convey a sense of immediacy and tactile texture in both flesh and stone.
History & Provenance
Since its creation in 1907, the painting has remained in the public domain, ultimately entering the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. The museum acquired the work as part of its efforts to represent early modern French painting, ensuring its preservation and accessibility to scholars and visitors alike.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Henri Lebasque was a French Post-Impressionist painter. He was born at Champigné (Maine-et-Loire). His work is represented in French museums, notably Angers, Geneva, Lille, Nantes, and Paris.
