AlBeRt StErNer

http://www.davidsongalleries.com/subjects/american/sterner-29343.jpg

Albert Sterner was an American artist, although he was born in London in 1863. He began studying art in his teenage years, mainly drawing. Sterner lived all over the world, born in London, moved to Germany, then to the United States where he lived in Chicago and New York, and then moved back to Europe. He played a significant role as an illustrator, but he also produced lithographs, oil paintings, water color paintings, and drawings. Sterner also found work in painting theater scenery and printmaking. He died at age 83 in 1946.

“Seated Nude” is a lithograph done by Sterner in sepia, which is different from the typical black and white. This piece is very plain and simple, and depicts a nude woman that seems to be sitting on a bed. It is difficult to tell whether or not she is getting into bed or if she is getting out of bed. Her back is towards us, but it is as if she is twisted away. We cannot see her face, but we see her long hair that is almost half-way down her back. She looks very delicate with the way she is still softly on the bed. Her head is tilted downward and her hand is resting on her leg.

The only shading that exists in the picture is done very limitedly, but it helps make the woman look more voluminous. She is an average-sized woman and seems to be very beautiful and womanly. The fact that we cannot see her face, however, makes her almost mysterious. Once again, this artist leaves the imagination and interpretation open to the viewer by keeping the image simple, yet suggestive in many ways.

I like the simplicity of this image and how the artist is skilled to use few lines, but still make a beautiful piece of work. His use of lines depicts the sheets, crumpled at the edge of the bed and the suggestion on a pillow near her back. He also portrayed the woman as imperfect, but perfect at the same time. Although she is not petite or super thin, she is still beautiful and womanly, with curves and a very womanly figure.