This painting by the Belgian artist André Cluysenaar depicts a finely executed nude of a seated woman, seen from behind and engrossed in her reading.
The composition is compelling, characterized by soft, impressionistic brushstrokes, a harmonious palette, and subtle lighting. The serene, intimate scene emphasizes the sensuality and grace of the figure and is a characteristic example of Cluysenaar's nude painting, situated between Academicism and Impressionism.
André Cluysenaar (1872–1939) came from a prominent Belgian family of artists. His grandfather, Jean-Pierre Cluysenaar, was a renowned architect and, among other projects, the designer of the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert in Brussels. His father, Alfred Cluysenaar, was a successful history and portrait painter.
Cluysenaar studied at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels and received a classical academic training.
His work stylistically straddles Impressionism and Post-Impressionism. His preferred subjects include female nudes, portraits, genre scenes, and still lifes. His nudes, in particular, are characterized by subtle modulation of light, elegant lines, and an often pastel palette.
His painting style combines precise drawing with painterly freedom and shows influences from Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, and Édouard Manet.
Cluysenaar achieved international success and was especially sought after as a portrait painter in London. Through his marriage to Alice Gordon, granddaughter of British Prime Minister George Hamilton-Gordon, he gained access to British high society.
He exhibited at institutions including the Royal Academy of Arts in London and the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts in Paris. His works are now found in private and public collections, including the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium.
Cluysenaar is considered a major figure in Belgian painting around 1900 and a sought-after portrait and nude painter on the European art scene.
Fanny Cluysenaar: Les Cluysenaar, une famille d'artistes. Weissenbruch, Brussels 1928.
Madelaine Delacre, Marjorie Pym: André Cluysenaar, portraitiste. Edition Phototypie Ern. Thill, 1937
Fernand TOUSSAINT (1873-1956) Vase with flowers and fruit bowl
