Nude Leaning Over Chair 1978

George Segal made this print, "Nude Leaning Over Chair," using lithography, a process where an image is drawn on a stone or metal plate with a greasy substance, then printed. It’s a technique that democratized image-making, allowing for multiples, and here it’s used with striking blocks of color. What’s interesting is how Segal uses this industrial process to capture the handmade quality of drawing. You can see the texture of the crayon or pastel he used on the lithographic stone. The pastel’s powdery texture is visible, contrasting with the flat planes of color. This tension between reproduction and unique mark-making gives the print its energy. Segal is best known for his life-size plaster figures, often set within mundane environments. Here, the lithograph captures a similar sense of everyday life. It’s a synthesis of fine art and printmaking, reminding us that all art is made, and all making has conceptual weight.