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Untitled

William Orpen

1910

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Early Modern Nude

Dominant colour

Untitled is a 1910 by William Orpen, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: William Orpen
When & what style?: 1910
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This sketch shows a single figure standing sideways, arms raised as if mid-motion. The body is drawn in loose, light strokes, with soft pink and blue washes for skin and shadows. The background is a faint, textured gray, while the legs and feet are darker, almost scribbled in. The artist left some areas almost blank, letting the paper show through. The hands are small and slightly blurred, almost like a quick sketch. The overall feel is rough and unfinished, as if the artist was working fast. Try looking up cross-hatching to see how shading works in drawings like this.