After reaching the echelons of Australian art, Brett Whiteley reflected that even when he was painting “abstractions, in a way I was painting the nude, just out of specific definition.” The nude is a pivotal form in Whiteley's lexicon, a woman who is wrought from curves, great sweeps of line that settle into a sublime topography. 

Dated 1977, Towards Sculpture 1 is a testament to Whiteley’s mastery over the nude. An original, limited edition and hand-signed lithograph, it sees a body roll down the page like a river between mountains. The result is sensuous and quintessential Whiteley, born from his reflection that no body contains a straight line. For art historian Lou Klepac, his virtuosity lay in lines like these, at once sophisticated and sensitive. 

One of Australia’s most celebrated artists, Whiteley was a multi-time winner of the Art Gallery of NSW Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes, featured in numerous monographs and survey exhibitions, reaching acclaim here and overseas. A prize for collectors of modern art and Whiteley, Towards Sculpture 1 is also, most vividly, a visual delight. 

Brett WHITELEY (1939 - 1992)
'Towards Sculpture 1' 1977
lithograph on paper
Edition of 50
Image Size: 77 x 58 cm
Dimensions: 90 x 63 cm
Signed: Numbered, editioned and signed 'brett whiteley' in margin. Stamped upper right with artist's monogram
Comes with Letter of Provenance

Literature: Deutscher, C., Brett Whiteley: The Graphics 1961-1992, Deutscher Fine Art, Melbourne, 1995, p.111, cat. no. 28 (illus., p.38, another impression). Sutherland, K. Brett Whiteley: Catalogue Raisonne, Schwartz Publishing, Melbourne, 2020, vol.5, p.78, cat 79P (illus. other examples), vol.7, p.823.

Condition: Excellent
 
(c) Brett Whiteley / Copyright Agency