signed and dated 1954 lower right; titled and dated 1954 on three labels on the reverse; catalogue raisonné no. 1.191.1954.204
52.25 × 17.25 in (132.7 × 43.8 cm)
Auction Estimate:$40,000 - $50,000
Sale date:November 27, 2024
Price Realized
$50,400
(including Buyer's Premium)
Provenance
The Artist
Estate of Jack Bush, 1974
Roberts Gallery, Toronto
Miriam Shiell, Toronto
The Estate of Jack Bush (Jack Bush Heritage Corporation)
Literature
Sarah Stanners, "Jack Bush Paintings: A Catalogue Raisonné: Volume 1: 1920- 1954", Toronto, 2024, reproduced pages 448-449, no. 1.191.1954.204
Jack Bush created approximately 250 paintings during his Painters Eleven period (October 1953 to 1960). These works are known for their bold, often audacious abstractions, and "Nude" stands out as the only full-length depiction of a nude female figure from this pivotal phase in his career.
The contrast in "Nude" between the abstracted rendering of the breasts and the lifelike curve of the figure’s hips is captivating. Just as the forms diverge, so do the colours: flashes of flesh tone are interspersed with distinct sections of green and blue. The background, filled with multiple hues, frames the figure and lends the composition a sense of theatricality. The nude takes centre stage, confidently poised, fully aware of the attention she effortlessly holds.
We extend our thanks to Dr. Sarah Stanners for contributing the preceding essay. Sarah is currently an Adjunct Professor at the University of Toronto’s Department of Art History and recently published the "Jack Bush Catalogue Raisonné".
