Reclining Nude 1974–6 Oil paint on canvas
William Coldstream paintings are quite figurative but the one that stands out the most to me is Reclining Nude due to the fact that the measurement lines have been distinctively left in, this was because he wanted to recreate what he saw precisely and develop an objective manner of painting. The objectivity is shown in the painting by the way he has measured the distance between all the points of the body with lines of red paint. The red paint almost becomes part of the painting in a way ‘For example, the clusters around the model’s nipples seem to inject an erotic undertone’ (Gallery label, May 2007). William Coldstream’s work was never really finished as he had such a desire for objectivity and rigor that he only really stopped painting and changing the image when he reached a deadline.
https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/coldstream-reclining-nude-t02079
https://www.piano-nobile.com/artists/1198-william-coldstream/works/2352/
Alysha Fisk Research 