Bela Czobe, Nude Standing 1930 

Bela Czobel made this sketch of a standing nude figure in 1930. Though Czobel was Hungarian, he had been living in Paris for more than twenty years when he made this work. The loose, expressive lines of the charcoal create a sense of movement and spontaneity and align the work with the expressionist style. During the early twentieth century, Paris was a global center for artistic experimentation. Many artists were turning away from academic styles and exploring the human form in new ways. Some artists critiqued the very institutions of art by challenging traditional notions of beauty and representation. To fully understand the artistic choices made here, you might consult exhibition catalogues from Parisian galleries, or browse art journals, many of which are now digitized and available online. By considering the social and institutional context in which this sketch was made, we can better understand its significance as a work of art.