Nu Debout

This 19th-century oil painting on wood panel is from the atelier of Normandy painter Emile Tremblay (1855-1935). The piece is monogrammed in the lower left corner and features the atelier's stamp on the reverse. The nickname "Loulou" appears on the back.

This painting depicts a vertical full-length nude of a woman. The technique used, combined with the pastel-like blur of the brushstrokes, makes the nudity ethereal and almost implied. The woman appears nymph-like, standing in a lush landscape, stepping forward out of the greenery. Upon close inspection, we can see the impressionistic style applied to the background and the variety of colors at play. The overall effect is light, effortless, and tranquil.

Emile Tremblay is an artist with no available biography online. However, through extensive research of old archives and letters, we have uncovered some context about his closest associates. Emile had a brother, Louis Tremblay, who was a published poet, author, and painter. Emile was also a dear friend of the famous Swedish artist, art critic, and museum manager Richard Bergh (1858-1919), to whom he inscribed a painting with the dedication, "To my brother Bergh." The remainder of what we know about Emile Tremblay comes solely from his exquisite atelier works.

• Overall Size: 14.1" x 8.6" / 36.5cm x 22.5cm.
  
• Country: France.
  
• Provenance: Atelier Tremblay (Normandy). 
• Signed: Monogrammed and bearing the studio's stamp on the back. 
• Date: Late 19th century or Early 20th century.
• Materials: Oil on wood panel. 
• Texture: The surface is smooth to the touch.
• Condition: The painting has a few scratches along its lower quartile, and a few chips of paint missing in the same area. A red brushstroke in the form of a line along the figure is either intentional or an atelier mark. 
  
• Shipping: This painting includes free shipping. An additional fee is applied for Australia, New Zealand, and Asia.