Pastel and graphite on paperexpand_more
Gift of Marly Cornellexpand_more 2021.145
Early in his career, Bruce Samuelson developed a form of semi-abstract figure drawing that blended classical techniques with aspects of modernism, such as the fragmentation and layering of forms. Samuelson's figures are densely layered and truncated to emphasize their material nature, while exhibiting a dynamic energy and movement arising from his reliance on surface disruption and ambiguous structural arrangements. As a result, the figures may seem mysterious, even unsettling, yet they possess an aesthetic appeal that transcends their anatomical details.
Drawn from life, this study of a female nude exemplifies Samuelson’s unique approach to the figure. Here, using pastel and graphite, he delineates the basic form of the subject’s torso and upper legs, while implying a complete human figure situated in space. By this approach, Samuelson directs the viewer’s attention to the subtle variations of surface texture, color, form, and materiality in his composition, leaving the determination of meaning open-ended.
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