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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, The caress, Dzovig Arnelian

Dzovig Arnelian

Painting . 90 x 73 x 0.5 cm Painting . 35.4 x 28.7 x 0.2 inch

£1,859 £1,674

Painting, Lily in fur, Hiromi Sengoku

Hiromi Sengoku

Painting . 45.5 x 38 x 3 cm Painting . 17.9 x 15 x 1.2 inch

£871

Fine Art Drawings, Nu assis, Camille Hilaire

Camille Hilaire

Fine Art Drawings . 48 x 36 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 18.9 x 14.2 x 0 inch

£1,002

Painting, Underwater, Alexandra Djokic

Alexandra Djokic

Painting . 167 x 121 x 0.1 cm Painting . 65.7 x 47.6 x 0 inch

£13,941

Painting, Mermaid II, Dzovig Arnelian

Dzovig Arnelian

Painting . 39.5 x 25 x 0.1 cm Painting . 15.6 x 9.8 x 0 inch

£323

Painting, Le modèle, Adrien Holy

Adrien Holy

Painting . 55.5 x 38 x 2 cm Painting . 21.9 x 15 x 0.8 inch

£2,467

Painting, Murmures, Sophie Geider

Sophie Geider

Painting . 67 x 56 x 2 cm Painting . 26.4 x 22 x 0.8 inch

£784

Painting, Ave Maria, Dasha Pogodina

Dasha Pogodina

Painting . 47 x 35 x 2 cm Painting . 18.5 x 13.8 x 0.8 inch

£436

Painting, Shelter me, Dasha Pogodina

Dasha Pogodina

Painting . 55 x 46 x 1.5 cm Painting . 21.7 x 18.1 x 0.6 inch

£436

Painting, Dementia, Dima Filatov

Dima Filatov

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

£680

Painting, Morning, Alexander Levich

Alexander Levich

Painting . 45 x 40 x 2 cm Painting . 17.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

£767

Painting, Rachil, Alexander Levich

Alexander Levich

Painting . 45 x 40 x 2 cm Painting . 17.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

£854

Painting, Girls, Alexander Levich

Alexander Levich

Painting . 45 x 35 x 2 cm Painting . 17.7 x 13.8 x 0.8 inch

£854

Painting, Summer, Alexander Levich

Alexander Levich

Painting . 45 x 40 x 2 cm Painting . 17.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

£854

Painting, Siesta, Dima Filatov

Dima Filatov

Painting . 120 x 80 x 0.4 cm Painting . 47.2 x 31.5 x 0.2 inch

£680

Painting, Future Worship, Mihai Florea

Mihai Florea

Painting . 220 x 120 x 3 cm Painting . 86.6 x 47.2 x 1.2 inch

£3,921

Painting, Muse., Igor Shulman

Igor Shulman

Painting . 119.9 x 49.5 x 5.1 cm Painting . 47.2 x 19.5 x 2 inch

£2,749

Painting, Moon Honey, Harry Ergott

Harry Ergott

Painting . 70 x 50 cm Painting . 27.6 x 19.7 inch

£1,568

Fine Art Drawings, La trapéziste, Camille Hilaire

Camille Hilaire

Fine Art Drawings . 42 x 35 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 16.5 x 13.8 x 0 inch

£392

Painting, Step, Dima Filatov

Dima Filatov

Painting . 120 x 73 x 0.5 cm Painting . 47.2 x 28.7 x 0.2 inch

£540

Painting, Odysseus, Alexander Levich

Alexander Levich

Painting . 45 x 35 x 2 cm Painting . 17.7 x 13.8 x 0.8 inch

£566

Painting, Pink dust, Konovalov Igor

Konovalov Igor

Painting . 135 x 110 x 2 cm Painting . 53.1 x 43.3 x 0.8 inch

£1,699

Print, 7 de Coeur, Isabelle Lutter

Isabelle Lutter

Print . 84.3 x 60 x 1.4 cm Print . 33.2 x 23.6 x 0.6 inch

£3,050

Fine Art Drawings, Silent Curve, Hossein Borojeni

Hossein Borojeni

Fine Art Drawings . 40 x 30 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 15.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch

£601

Fine Art Drawings, Le Regard, Hossein Borojeni

Hossein Borojeni

Fine Art Drawings . 40 x 30 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 15.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch

£627

Fine Art Drawings, Lotus, Hossein Borojeni

Hossein Borojeni

Fine Art Drawings . 40 x 29 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 15.7 x 11.4 x 0 inch

£601