Nude

Vito D’Ancona · 1873
Oil on canvas
Milan, Italy - Galleria d’Arte Moderna
LDA · XXVIII · MMXXV

Source
Book · I Macchiaioli di Raffaele De Grada · Fratelli Fabbri Editori · 1967 · p. 60

This composition centres the reclining figure as a study of form, proportion and surface. The vertical orientation of the body departs from the traditional odalisque format, where the nude is arranged horizontally across the canvas; here the lifted legs and elongated torso create a columnar structure that foregrounds anatomical study and compositional rhythm. The elaborate backdrop and controlled rendering of textures locate the figure within an interior of visual richness without constructing a specific setting or narrative. The pose, lighting and spatial framing emphasise the body through academic clarity and precision.

Reposting welcome; please credit Libreria d’Arte - Studio Soli.

Detail
Hair cascading - the extended length of the hair functions as a visual counterline to the raised legs, creating a secondary axis that frames the body within the composition.

Drapery - the tightly rendered folds beneath the figure reinforce the body as a model for formal study, emphasising contour and anatomical rhythm.