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Verso Studyverso study closely resembles E.O.W. Nude (1953–54, Tate).DescriptionThis double-sided drawing is an exemplary early work by Frank Auerbach,executed during the period when Estella Olive West served as his principalmodel. The front portrait demonstrates Auerbach’s emerging approach tofiguration: bold, gestural strokes convey the sitter’s presence andpsychological depth, while abstracted planes of light and shadow suggestintrospection and vulnerability.On the verso, a reclining figure emerges through energetic, overlappinglines, anticipating the composition and intensity of E.O.W. Nude (1953–54,Tate) – shown above.The study reflects Auerbach’s process-driven method: working directlyfrom life, he captured not just likeness but the essence of his subjects.
Artistic ContextAs noted in Christie’s coverage of Nude on Bed III (1961), Auerbachdedicated his life to the pursuit of painting, rarely taking a day off, andreturning repeatedly to key sitters such as Estella West. He focused on the“experience of the sitter” rather than literal representation, layering andreworking surfaces until the form resonated with psychological and formaldepth. These 1953 drawings are early examples of this ethos, revealingexperimentation with abstraction, figuration, and the emotional intensitythat would define his career.Provenance and SignificanceThe signed front drawing passed through Beaux Arts Gallery, which firstexhibited Auerbach’s work, and later through Marlborough Gallery, alongtime representative of the artist. Its connection to West, along with theverso’s resonance with E.O.W. Nude, situates this piece as a key study inunderstanding Auerbach’s early exploration of the female form and hisprocess of developing figurative abstraction.ReferencesChristie’s, Nude on Bed III, London, 19 March 2025.Tate, E.O.W. Nude, 1953–54.Art historian commentary on Auerbach’s process and relationship withEstella West.Frank Auerbach: Significance in Art HistoryA Leading Figure of Post-War British Figurative PaintingAuerbach (1931–2024) is considered one of the most influential painters ofthe 20th century in Britain.He, along with Lucian Freud and Leon Kossoff, was part of the “School ofLondon,” which revived figurative painting at a time when abstractiondominated the art world.His work is celebrated for its intensity, emotional depth, and radicalapproach to form and texture.
Page 1: Frank Auerbach (1931 - 2024)Seated
Page 5: Exemplars of Process-Driven ArtAuer

Frank Auerbach - Seated Nude - May 1953

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Frank Auerbach - Seated Nude - May 1953

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