Notes

Throughout his career, Alexis Preller consistently revisited certain themes and motifs, reinterpreting them in new and compelling ways – and the male nude was no exception.

Encouraged by Jacob Hendrik Pierneef to pursue studies abroad, Preller enrolled at the Westminster School of Art in London in 1934, where he studied under Mark Gertler. That same year, he produced his first known depiction of the male nude, Two Male Nudes, a work that would set the stage for a recurring subject in his artistic practice.

The present work, Male Nude, along with its companion piece, Male Nude Study, was completed in 1939, five years later. In this painting, Preller portrays a youthful figure with sharply defined features and striking blue eyes that stare contemplatively beyond the frame. The composition is boldly stylised, characterised by crisp outlines and a vivid palette of cobalt blue, green, peach, and earthy browns. The figure is dramatically framed by the dark silhouette of a tree to the left and a brooding sky above, enhancing the emotional depth and intensity of the scene.