English Antique Portrait Sketch of Reclining Female Nude (double sided)

English Graphite Sketch of a Female Nude, Reclining (double sided sheet, another similar image verso) by Henry George Moon (British 1857-1905) on off white artists paper, unframed measurements: sheet 15 x 21 inches provenance: from the artists estate Condition report: pin holes to corners where it was attached to artists board, even toning to sheet, sheet cut slightly unevenly. Sheet marks around outer 2 inches of sheet. Image clean. Nicely executed nude life study, one of several we are currently working on from this artist. The sitter is posed reclining, leaning on her right arm with her left arm outstretched to her leg. This is a good sized example of Moon’s sketch work, nicely executed. Henry George Moon, born in Barnet, England 1857. Moon developed his love for art at school and studied at the Birbeck and St Martins schools of art. Joining the art department of The Garden publication in 1880, Moon became their illustrator for many botanical and horticultural plates, he also painted for other publications including The English Flower Garden, and enjoyed landscape painting in his own spare time. Many of his landscapes were produced in the last twenty years of the 1800-1899, when he was greatly influenced by the work of American artist William Edward Norton. Four years (1885-1889) were dedicated to illustrating a great deal of Reichenbachia (orchid studies) for H F C Sander, printing plates from Moon’s woodcut etchings. His name remains foremost among highly acclaimed botanical painters of the time. William Robinson particularly liked Moon’s landscape work “I often thought that if less of his work had been given to plant drawing, how much better it would have been for landscape art”. Moon remained a respected art critic, enjoying involvement among London sketching clubs (the Birbeck, the Gilbert Garrett etc), but after many years of frail health he died at just 48 in 1905.