Nude

Guy Pène du Bois studied under the American Impressionist William Merritt Chase and the pioneering American realist, Robert Henri. After subsequently studying in Paris, he returned to New York in 1906, where he then established his career. For fifteen years, Pène du Bois worked as an artist and illustrator for the New York American. In the 1920s, he became known for his portraits of New York society members, or as he referred to them, “symbols of sophistication.” His portraits of affluent New Yorkers at the opera, race track, night clubs, and other venues often verge on the satirical. His style is characterized by simplified and stylized figures. Acclaimed during his own lifetime, Pène du Bois’ paintings are in the collections of major museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Whitney Museum of American Art, and Phillips Collection in Washington D.C.