Bather, Iowa River

Vaughan’s central subject was the male nude, typically presented as isolated figures or small groupings set within nature, though rarely in a specific or recognisable setting. During the 1950s alone, he produced at least twenty-five oil paintings and many more gouaches, entitled Bather.

In the present work, a young man stands beside a woodland lake, his right arm drawn protectively across his torso. Despite his athletic physique, he appears unsteady and unsure of himself, his awkwardness underscored by the absence of clothing, facial features, or other features that might locate him in the everyday world. Stripped of these identifying qualities, the figure takes on a monumental presence. Rather than evoking heroic ideals, Vaughan’s bather conveys vulnerability and introspection.

The verticality of the figure’s stance finds a counterpoint echoed in the surrounding tree trunks and branches, integrating him with the natural setting. The flickering, feathery brushwork pays clear homage to Cézanne, whose depictions of bathers Vaughan deeply admired, not only for their subject but also for their formal invention and tactile handling of pigment.

We are very grateful to Gerard Hastings for preparing this catalogue entry.