Roderic O'Conor

RODERIC O'CONOR (1860-1940)
Reclining Nude (#1172), c. 1904
Oil on canvas
Collection of Brian P. Burns

Reclining Nude

Once in Paris, O'Conor also turned away from the portraiture he favored while in Brittany to interiors with figures, often nudes. The briskness of movment which characterizes his flower paintings of the period seems absent from the Reclining Nude (#1172) portrayed resting on the bed. Here, the soft skin tones and gentle modelling of the figure, as well as her open, relaxed pose, all breathe tranquility and restfulness. The design of the bedspread, instead of swirling over the surface as does the design on the vase in Geraniums, is indicated by static suggestions of color and pattern.