Standing Female Nude
Classification
Drawing
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, Gift of Joseph H. Hirshhorn, 1966
Accession Number
66.3760
About this artwork
Mrs. Elie Nadelman, New York
Art Historical Context
Elie Nadelman, a Polish-born American artist (1882–1946), created *Standing Female Nude* 1909, during his formative years in Paris after emigrating from Warsaw. Fresh from studying ancient sculptures and folk art, Nadelman developed a distinctive style blending modernist simplification with classical elegance. This drawing captures his fascination with the idealized female form, rendered in poised, almost archaic grace—hallmarks of his early work that would later influence his renowned folk-inspired sculptures. As a preparatory study, the piece exemplifies Nadelman's precise line work and vol...