Philip Pearlstein, Diagonal Nude, 1968, Signed Limited Edition Lithograph

ARTWORK
Title: Diagonal Nude
Artist: Philip Pearlstein (American, b. 1924)
Year: 1968
Medium: Hand-pulled lithograph on high-quality wove paper
Edition: Signed and numbered “7/20” in pencil (edition of 20)
Framed: Yes
 
Dimensions
Image/Sight: 25 × 20 in (63 × 51 cm)
Framed Size: 22 × 27 in (55.9 × 68.6 cm), framed under acrylic
 
Why This Work Is Significant
Philip Pearlstein was one of the most influential American realists of the 20th century, known for reinventing the nude through a detached, objective lens that rejected idealism in favor of cool observation. Created in 1968, Diagonal Nude reflects a pivotal moment in his career—just as he was gaining widespread recognition for redefining figuration in postwar American art.
 
Unlike traditional nudes, Pearlstein’s compositions deliberately cropped limbs and fragmented bodies, emphasizing form over eroticism. In Diagonal Nude, the reclining posture, harsh diagonal angle, and flattened space exemplify Pearlstein’s masterful balance between abstraction and realism.
 
This lithograph is rare, with only 20 printed, and is representative of his early forays into printmaking—a medium he explored with the same clinical precision as his paintings. Pearlstein’s prints are held in major institutions including MoMA, The Met, and the Whitney Museum.
 
As Pearlstein's reputation continues to grow posthumously, early prints like this become essential pieces for any collector of American realism, postwar figure studies, or museum-level works on paper.
 
Condition Report
Not examined outside of frame, but fully visible
Good overall condition: slight toning to sheet and minor handling wear at upper-left corners
Framing behind acrylic ensures excellent presentation and protection
 
Provenance
Straight from the artist’s estate / reputable Chicago collection