Reclining Nude 

Yiannis Moralis painted this ‘Reclining Nude’ in Greece, though we don’t know exactly when. The image recalls a long European tradition of reclining nudes, figures that artists have used to express ideas about beauty and desire. Moralis’s treatment here is very interesting. Rather than idealizing or objectifying the figure, Moralis seems interested in depicting her body in a more naturalistic way, emphasizing the weight and volume of her form, and the folds and creases of her skin. Moralis trained at the Athens School of Fine Arts, an institution that maintained close ties to the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. It would be fascinating to look at the archives of those schools to understand the specific models that he and his teachers may have used in life drawing classes. By carefully examining the social and institutional context in which artworks are made, we can better understand their cultural significance and the complex ways in which they reflect the values and beliefs of their time.