Pictorial Genre

The Blue Dancers (1899) by Edgar Degas can possibly be recognized as one of the greatest ever pastel drawings. Living, breathing figures captured in a moment they may have deemed a banal peek into their everyday life. To draw from life, or “figure draw," usually refers to the instructional class taught in many schools and academies of fine art. The pastel, charcoal or humble pencil thus signifies the beginnings of an artist's career. It is often regarded as the most ideal way for artists to render the human body and master its line, depth and shape necessary for the portrait, a valuable skill. However, life portraiture often captures the body in motion causing the artist to depict muscle action, direction and perspective. Though the 19th century produced Degas, it also produced the camera and the focus on artists to depict movement – to snapshot life. In Artsper's own selections, the works of life portrait artist Marc Desgrandchamps are inspired by the decomposition of the movement of Eadweard Muybridge's chronophotographic experiments. Whilst Alejandra Caballero's work is much more introspective, noting that the quieter, more subtle movements in life, such as talking on the phone or taking a bath, must also be captured.

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Painting, Kateryna, Dima Filatov

Dima Filatov

Painting . 120 x 80 x 0.5 cm Painting . 47.2 x 31.5 x 0.2 inch

£723

Painting, Partage secret, Maude Ovize

Maude Ovize

Painting . 90 x 90 x 3 cm Painting . 35.4 x 35.4 x 1.2 inch

£2,116

Painting, Matelot, David Jamin

David Jamin

Painting . 60 x 50 x 4 cm Painting . 23.6 x 19.7 x 1.6 inch

£1,216

Painting, Working day, David Jamin

David Jamin

Painting . 65 x 81 x 2.5 cm Painting . 25.6 x 31.9 x 1 inch

£1,851

Painting, Robe rouge, Xavier Jambon

Xavier Jambon

Painting . 120 x 80 x 3 cm Painting . 47.2 x 31.5 x 1.2 inch

£2,644

Painting, Drowning, Gerard Boersma

Gerard Boersma

Painting . 50 x 40 x 1 cm Painting . 19.7 x 15.7 x 0.4 inch

£2,292

Painting, Le bain, Béatrice Terra

Béatrice Terra

Painting . 65 x 81 x 2 cm Painting . 25.6 x 31.9 x 0.8 inch

£1,939

Painting, Piano, David Jamin

David Jamin

Painting . 33 x 41 x 2.5 cm Painting . 13 x 16.1 x 1 inch

£793

Painting, Le sud, Léa Augereau

Léa Augereau

Painting . 115 x 90 x 5 cm Painting . 45.3 x 35.4 x 2 inch

£4,407

Painting, Zone Blanche, Karine Bartoli

Karine Bartoli

Painting . 162 x 130 x 4 cm Painting . 63.8 x 51.2 x 1.6 inch

£2,821

Painting, Diffraction IV, Maude Ovize

Maude Ovize

Painting . 90 x 90 x 3 cm Painting . 35.4 x 35.4 x 1.2 inch

£1,587

Painting, Départ, Rudyard Heaton

Rudyard Heaton

Painting . 81 x 116 x 2 cm Painting . 31.9 x 45.7 x 0.8 inch

£1,322

Painting, Radiance, Joshua Oyeleye

Joshua Oyeleye

Painting . 90.2 x 90.2 x 3.8 cm Painting . 35.5 x 35.5 x 1.5 inch

£1,234

Print, Autumn 3, Alex Katz

Alex Katz

Print . 65 x 44 x 0.1 cm Print . 25.6 x 17.3 x 0 inch

£9,875

Print, Girl on Red, Mario Sughi

Mario Sughi

Print . 62 x 82 cm Print . 24.4 x 32.3 inch

£1,058

Painting, The Ovum#1, Dasha Pogodina

Dasha Pogodina

Painting . 150 x 130 x 2.5 cm Painting . 59.1 x 51.2 x 1 inch

£1,587

Print, Red Jumper, Mario Sughi

Mario Sughi

Print . 63 x 83 cm Print . 24.8 x 32.7 inch

£1,058

Painting, Lucky, Alexander Levich

Alexander Levich

Painting . 80 x 150 x 2 cm Painting . 31.5 x 59.1 x 0.8 inch

£2,909