Seated Woman with Letter

A large and brilliantly executed mid-century modernist style figurative painting, executed in oil onto canvas.

The composition presents a contemplative female figure seated on a simple chair, her body angled gently to the side as she holds a folded piece of paper in her hand. The faceless portrayal lends the work a universal quality, allowing the figure to embody both anonymity and intimacy.

The style is distinctly modernist and abstracted, with simplified forms, flat planes, and carefully balanced geometric blocks of colour. The composition is built on interlocking shapes, where body, chair, and background meld seamlessly, reinforcing the quiet harmony of the scene.

The palette is warm and earthy, with shades of terracotta, brown, and sienna set against muted peach, pale creams, and soft blues. Darker tones in the figure’s dress contrast with the lighter background, creating depth while maintaining the painting’s restrained, introspective mood.

Brushstrokes are broad and deliberate, with smooth transitions that emphasise form rather than detail. The painter resists naturalism, instead favouring abstraction and tonal rhythm to evoke atmosphere and feeling.

This oil on canvas is presented in a wood frame with a white inner border. The painting has some light marks to its surface but nothing that detracts from its overall attractiveness. The frame has some areas of paint loss as shown, but is otherwise in good stable condition.

Size: 89 x 51.5 cm (including frame)