Seated Woman

Doris Levine, to whom the present drawing of a monumental seated nude is inscribed, was employed by Lincoln Kirstein (1907-1996), Gaston Lachaise’s devoted friend and patron, by at least 1931, and in that capacity she came to know the artist well. Although Levine was married to Morris Fish (1909-1978) in May 1934, she continued to be known at work by her maiden name. Lachaise’s esteem for her is expressed in a letter written in July 1934 in which he asked his wife to show hospitality to Miss Levine, noting that “she is real” (Yale Collection of American Literature, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library). The firmly executed drawing probably dates from the early 1930s.

We are grateful to Virginia Budny for her assistance in preparing the catalogue entry for this work.