Reclining Nude

• Suzanne Valadon (1865–1938)
• 1928
• Oil on canvas
• Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
• (1975.1.214)

The woman in this painting fixes her piercing blue eyes directly on the viewer, as if aware of being observed. She reclines on an ornate patterned sofa that seems too small to hold both her body and its cushions. Her figure is outlined in dark lines, while her skin and hair are painted in tones that echo the colors of the upholstery. Strong contours emphasize her facial features. The frank yet delicate expression appears to derive from Suzanne Valadon’s own experience as a model.