Standing Figure
French-born artist Jean Hélion painted Standing Figure at a time when he was a central proponent of nonrepresentational art in the United States. In 1936, Hélion was a founding member of the American Abstract Artists group, which counted among its members Willem de Kooning. In this painting the body is interpreted in curved forms and shaded in tones of gray that resemble the metallic parts of a machine. Hélion’s depiction of the human figure is inspired by the quick-paced life of the city streets and the presence of new technology in urban settings.
Artwork Details
- Title: Standing Figure
- Artist: Jean Hélion (French, Couterne 1904–1987 Paris)
- Date: 1936
- Medium: Oil on canvas
- Dimensions: 57 1/2 × 44 3/4 in. (146.1 × 113.7 cm)
- Classification: Paintings
- Credit Line: Gift of The Joseph Cantor Foundation, 1982
- Object Number: 1982.148.1
- Rights and Reproduction: © 2025 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
- Curatorial Department: Modern and Contemporary Art
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