Obata: Painting of Seated Nude

Watercolor study of a seated nude, seen from behind. We see a colorful robe draped to the left and a portion of the supporting structure. This work is most probably a demonstration for a figure drawing class at Berkeley. He has confidently created a figure using just a few brush strokes. Chiura Obata taught at Berkeley between 1932 and 1954, and made many study paintings as demonstration to his students. His economy of line and mastery of the brush are practically unequalled in 20th c. American art. The University of California, Berkeley preserved all of his paintings while Obata and his family were interned in Utah during WWII. Provenance: Estate of Chiura Obata.