Henry James Haley (1874-1934)
Standing Nude
Inscribed and dated May 1900, signed and dated verso, 75cm by 44.5cm

Provenance: Abbott and Holder, London

This life study, drawn over eleven sittings, was an entry into the December prize competition of 1900 at the Royal Academy in London. The inscriptions and names to the lower right are that of Frank Dicksee RA (later PRA), the visiting teacher at the time and H.T Bodset, who was curator of the life school from 1883-1920. Students were forbidden from signing their work in order avoid favouritism. Luckily artistic bravado stepped in and Haley signed and dated the work on the reverse after it had been judged.

Haley clearly liked the model as she appears in other recorded drawings and paintings, including his oil "School for the Artist", now in a private collection.

see illustration