Georges Braque, Nude study, 1907-1908

The first of the artist’s ten Cubist etchings, this original etching is undoubtedly one of the preparatory studies for Georges Braque’s large 1908 painting Grand nu oil on canvas 140 x 100 cm, Paris MNAM.

Here, the woman is represented by rather geometric shapes, but still with fine features, in a reserved attitude, her head tilted slightly to the left. After an initial run of a few trial proofs at the time, 25 proofs on Auvergne and 30 proofs on Rives were printed in 1953.