Reclining Female Nude c. 1920

Abraham Levinson made this ‘Reclining Female Nude’ on paper with watercolor and graphite, but we don’t know when. It's the sort of drawing where you can almost smell the studio. Levinson uses a really limited palette, mostly earth tones, blushing pinks, and cool blues, which feels like he’s trying to capture not just a body, but the light and air around it. The lines are loose and confident, with the graphite dancing around the edges of the figure, suggesting form rather than defining it. The way he’s handled the watercolor, it's so transparent that it stains the paper rather than sitting on top of it. There's a real intimacy in the way it’s made. Looking at this nude, I’m reminded of Gwen John’s drawings; that same quiet intensity and focus on capturing a feeling more than a likeness. It’s a reminder that art is always a conversation, echoing and responding to what came before.