The Sunbather

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Charles Robinson Sykes 1875-1950
The Sunbather
c.1910
Pencil on japanese paper
7 x 10 ins / 15 x 25 cms
Illustrated
Elle Decoration March 2014 p.97

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The Sunbather is a fine example of the optimism of the early 1900's. Art Deco's (or 'Style Moderne' as it was originally known) early ethos desired 'to express the vortex of modern life - a life of steel, fever, pride and headlong speed'. The angular composition of the nude and the raised head into a sunburst of light, exudes this confident expression. Art Deco had much in common with the passionate love of the Machine Age that underlay the Futurist works of the preceding decade. Sykes' relationship with Rolls-Royce and the artistic style in which he lived are combined beautifully in this example of pure Art Deco style - A style that was novel, coolly elegant, and one that remains universally appealing.