Elegant Woman Poster

Elegant Woman shows a figure reclining in a pale yellow gown, one arm resting along a gilt chair, against a ground of deep brown-black. A band of cornflower blue runs roughly across the top of the sheet, its lower edge broken and uneven where it meets the dark, and the head has been allowed to dissolve into the same blue so the face never resolves. The gown carries most of the light, laid in loose strokes of ochre and cream that keep their direction. The contrast between the finished dress and the unfinished head gives the picture its tension. It suits a room that can hold something quiet and slightly strange.

Oak keeps the yellow warm, while black deepens the ground and makes the blue band read as deliberate. It could work well above a bed or a desk, where there is time to look at it. Pair it with linen, brass and ceramics in cream or clay, and keep the wall colour pale so the blue stays the brightest thing. A wide mat board suits the painting, since it gives the figure room without crowding the top edge.