Standing Nude 1928

Alexandre Jacovleff painted this 'Standing Nude' using what looks like oils, maybe sometime in the early 20th century. The way the figure kind of emerges from the dark background really grabs you, right? You can almost feel him building the figure up, stroke by stroke. I get a sense of his process, which is exciting. Look at the drapery loosely held in her left hand, it's like a flurry of brushstrokes, and then how that contrasts with the smoother skin tone, that is just so intriguing. The colour palette is muted, earthy tones, but with these subtle shifts in hue that give the figure its volume. It reminds me of those fleshy Rubens paintings, you know? This piece has got me thinking about how art is this ongoing conversation, artists responding to what came before, and adding their own little twist.