Walter Sickert : the Camden Town Nudes

Exhibition of a group of pictures by Walter Sickert of nude women in a dark bedroom at the Courtauld Gallery.

Painted between 1905-1912 these pictures are described by the exhibition introduction as “a reinvention of the female nude as a subject for modern painting”. Rather voyeuristic in nature they are still sexy and edgy. They are similar to the Bonnard bathing pictures but are more detached and less affectionate.

There was an optimum distance to view the early works from. From across the room they almost took on a landscape quality with the bodies resembling hills and from close up they took on an almost abstract quality but take a few steps back and they come to life.

The way that the pictures study skin reminds me of Lucien Freud particularly the leg in “La Hollandaise”.

This was a super opportunity to see these pictures together, including 4 of the Camden Town murder pictures. Many of them are held in private collections so this is a rare chance to see them together.

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