111588

RECTO

Preparatory work

History picture

Europa Struggling Against Armament: Studies of Female Nudes

Four sketches, one very slight, of a woman lying on her right side, a snake entwined about her

Red chalk and graphite heightened with white on paper, 48.5 x 31.5 cm (19 ⅛ x 12 ⅜ in.)

Inscribed top right: 49 [on p. 49 of de László’s last sketchbook]

The nude and serpent is the central motif for a picture de László intended to paint which symbolised the struggle of Europe against the Central powers of the First World War. He began making studies in 1935 but the picture was never completed.

PROVENANCE:

In the possession of the artist on his death

LITERATURE:

DLA022-0031, letter from de László to István de Bárczy, 7 November 1935

KF 2016