Rose Wylie

This painting is based on an image that Rose Wylie saw on the internet: A model lies on a couch, posing for a painter. The open mouth, which appears to sing, caught Wylie’s attention. Here, she seeks to convey her impression. Wylie’s work increasingly draws on the traditional genre of the nude, although she is not concerned with the realistic portrayal of an individual. Instead, she highlights what strikes her as unusual about the model. Wylie is fascinated by anything that deviates from the norm. That is why she emphasizes people’s distinctive qualities – a certain posture, thin legs, or a dis[1]tinct profile.

In Singing Life Model, the nude woman is framed by an abstract yellow pattern at the top and a grey one at the bottom. Wylie drew inspiration from Mexican textiles and Persian carpets. To perfect the composition, she added a piece of canvas at the bottom. She often uses this technique when a composition changes during the painting process and cannot be completed satisfactorily on the existing canvas.