In the begining

This is one of my first full-scale paintings, which is partially why I named it “In the beginning”. The image was from studies of the Turkish Bath by Jean-Auguste-Dominique INGRES (Montauban, Paris) where dozens of nude Turkish women are sitting or lying on sofas in various poses, in an Oriental interior which is arranged around a pool. Ingres was inspired by the letters of Lady Montague (1690-1760), who recounts a visit to women’s baths in Instanbul in the early eighteenth century.

I arranged my figure similar to the figure on the right of the Turkish bath, what I tried to depict is a figure that looks as if she is emerging and just awakening like a mermaid just lost her tail or the birth of venues.

The painting is peeling a bit because charcoal doesn’t sit well on canvas long term but it all adds to the effect.

In the beginning – Charcoal and acrylic on canvas