Provenance
Sold by Scai the Bathhouse, Tokyo, to Richard and Mary L. Gray, Chicago, Jan. 18, 2002; given to the Art Institute of Chicago, 2019.
Accession Number
202399
Medium
Graphite on cream wove paper
Dimensions
50.5 × 65 cm (19 15/16 × 25 5/8 in.)
Classification
graphite
Credit Line
Gift of Richard and Mary L. Gray
Background & Context
Background Story
Pablo Picasso's Reclining Nude (Sleeping Woman) (September 5, 1969) is a graphite drawing on cream wove paper from the final years of the artist's life. The reclining nude, a subject Picasso explored throughout his career, is here rendered with the freedom and energy of his late style. The graphite lines are rapid and confident, capturing the figure with economy and expressive power.
Cultural Impact
Picasso's late drawings demonstrate his mastery of line and his continuing engagement with the classic subject of the nude.
Why It Matters
This late graphite drawing of a reclining nude shows Picasso at 87 still working with extraordinary energy and mastery.
