Grey wash over chalk and pencil, 56 by 76 cm (22 by 30 ins)

Provenance: Paul Roche; direct from the previous owner to a private American collection

Paul Roche was one of the most significant figures from the latter part of Duncan Grant’s life – a close friend, lover and companion, he travelled widely with him, later writing a book on Grant and dedicating significant energy towards furthering the artist’s reputation following his death in 1978. He was also one of the artist’s most significant muses and models and he sat for Grant on numerous occasions from the late 1940s. These beautifully fluid nude studies were possibly painted in the same sitting and depict Roche in variations of the same reclining pose. They are also intriguingly contrasting through the effect of their relative mediums – showing the artist’s talents in both monochrome watercolour with pencil and chalk.  They probably date from circa 1950.