Michael Leonard Nude Drawings and Watercolors
British, 1933-2023
Born in India in 1933 to British parents, at the end of the war in Europe Leonard returned to England to complete his education. In 1954, after two years of National Service in the army, he went to St Martin’s School of Art in London and studied Commercial Design and Illustration. By the time he left Art School in 1957 he was already working as a freelance illustrator and for many years was busy producing artwork for books, magazines, advertising and the press.
As an illustrator he worked in a small studio attached to the offices of his agents ‘Artist Partners’ in Soho. Meanwhile at home he experimented, trying to discover his voice as a painter. His work eventually came to the attention of Fischer Fine Art, a distinguished London gallery of the day and in 1972 several of his paintings were included in one of their group shows. In 1974 they gave him his first One Man Show and after that he gradually left illustration behind.
He was nearly forty when his life as an exhibiting painter began. At first his pictures tended to be formal, sober and low key — an attempt perhaps to distance himself from the sensational values of the commercial world. People sat in rooms, posed with their dogs in London’s parks or went sailing on the river. By degrees his work became more animated and colourful.
The people in his pictures were usually friends who were kind enough to model for him but he also painted portraits to commission and among his subjects were Lincoln Kirstein, Edward Lucie-Smith, Adrian Ward Jackson, Sir Peter Moores and the Marquess and Marchioness of Hartington (now the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire). In 1985 Reader’s Digest commissioned him to paint a portrait of H.M. Queen Elizabeth II in honour of her sixtieth birthday. (It is now in the National Portrait Gallery’s permanent collection).
The nude, particularly the male nude, has been a recurring theme. His figures are usually on the move or in a state of transition but even when they are at rest dynamism is provided by the design of the picture. This can be seen in Vanitas, (a sleeping man cradling a skull) Watermelons, (a torso as part of a ‘tableau’ with fruit) and in Pomegranate Man and Nectarine Man. Almost all his paintings of the nude are based on drawings which, besides being preparatory studies, are ends in themselves.
Michael died in London on 28 July 2023.to
1
1
Overall Width
to
Overall Height
to
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
2
2
1
6
127
90
66
50
2
2
Artist: Michael Leonard
Chimera I
By Michael Leonard
Located in London, GB
Michael Leonard, (British b.1933), Chimera I, 1975, Graphite pencil on paper, initialled (lower left), signed and dated (lower right), 15cm x 14cm, (35cm x 32cm framed)
Michael Leon...
Category
1970s Post-War Michael Leonard Nude Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Pencil
White Hairbrush II
By Michael Leonard
Located in London, GB
Graphite pencil on paper, 18.5cm x 19cm, (framed 50cm x 42cm). (Provenance: from the artist.)
Leonard is probably best known for his portrait of HM Queen Elizabeth, in the National ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Michael Leonard Nude Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Carbon Pencil
Related Items
MB 702 (Contemporary Life Drawing of Male Nude by Mark Beard)
By Mark Beard
Located in Hudson, NY
MB 702 (Contemporary Life Drawing of Male Nude by Mark Beard)
graphite, Conte crayon and charcoal on Arches paper
30 x 19 inches unframed
Con...
Category
2010s Contemporary Michael Leonard Nude Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Conté, Charcoal, Archival Paper, Graphite
SILENCE - original large blue female nude by Paula Craioveanu 39x27.5in
By Paula Craioveanu
Located in Forest Hills, NY
"Silence", pencil and ultramarine tempera on paper, inspired by Matisse.
Part of Nude in Interior series.
Large drawing. Shipped rolled in a tube.
Size 39x27.5in /100x70cm
Free shi...
Category
2010s Contemporary Michael Leonard Nude Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Pencil, Archival Paper, Tempera
$525 Sale Price
25% Off
H 39 in W 27.5 in
MB 085A (Contemporary Life Drawing of Nude Male by Mark Beard)
By Mark Beard
Located in Hudson, NY
Academic life drawing of male nude with charcoal and graphite by Mark Beard, "MB 085A"
graphite, Conte crayon and charcoal on Arches paper
30 x 18.5 inches unframed
Signed, lower rig...
Category
2010s Contemporary Michael Leonard Nude Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Conté, Charcoal, Archival Paper, Graphite
$1,650
H 30 in W 18.5 in
MB 827 (Contemporary Life Drawing of Two Nude Males by Mark Beard)
By Mark Beard
Located in Hudson, NY
Academic life drawing of two nude males with charcoal and graphite by Mark Beard, "MB 827"
graphite, Conte crayon and charcoal on Arches paper
29.75 x 21.75 inches unframed
Signed, l...
Category
2010s Contemporary Michael Leonard Nude Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Conté, Charcoal, Archival Paper, Graphite
$1,650
H 29.75 in W 21.75 in
Figure Drawing by Mark Beard (Stoic, Muscular Male Nude Charcoal Life Drawing)
By Mark Beard
Located in Hudson, NY
Academic life drawing of male nude with charcoal and graphite by Mark Beard
graphite, Conte crayon and charcoal on Arches paper
30 x 19.5 inches unframed
Signed, lower left
Strong f...
Category
2010s Contemporary Michael Leonard Nude Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Conté, Charcoal, Archival Paper, Graphite
NIGHT BLUES - Female Nude original unique art by Paula Craioveanu
By Paula Craioveanu
Located in Forest Hills, NY
"Night Blues" Female Nude, seen from the back, and a second view in the mirror. from another perspective. Part of "Nude in Interior" series, inspired by Matisse. Ultramarine tempera ...
Category
2010s Contemporary Michael Leonard Nude Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Tempera, Carbon Pencil, Rag Paper
$400 Sale Price
20% Off
H 27.5 in W 19.5 in D 1 in
The Old Man from the last Expo. Crayon pencil on archival paper
By Celso José Castro Daza
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Drawing on paper is his basic work tool, some are sketches of his surviving works, others are sketches of moments he documents.
Undefined by medium, Celso Castro’s works each carry...
Category
2010s Contemporary Michael Leonard Nude Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Carbon Pencil, Paper, Crayon, Ink, Watercolor
$2,500
H 59 in W 43 in D 0.1 in
Figure Drawing by Mark Beard (Muscular Male Nude Charcoal Life Drawing)
By Mark Beard
Located in Hudson, NY
Academic life drawing of male nude with charcoal and graphite by Mark Beard
graphite, Conte crayon and charcoal on Arches paper
30 x 19.5 inches unframed
Signed, lower left
Strong f...
Category
2010s Contemporary Michael Leonard Nude Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Conté, Charcoal, Archival Paper, Graphite
$1,700
H 30 in W 19.5 in
Academic Drawing. Figure Study of Young Sitting Nude Man. 19th Century.
Located in Firenze, IT
Charcoal drawing on light gray-blue colored paper.
The drawing depicts a young man sitting with the
hand on forehead. the position is probably meant to express the feeling of regret,...
Category
19th Century Academic Michael Leonard Nude Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Steel
$266 Sale Price
20% Off
H 19.3 in W 12.6 in D 0.08 in
Untitled, Figurative Drawing
By Celso José Castro Daza
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Drawing on paper is his basic work tool, some are sketches of his surviving works, others are sketches of moments he documents.
Undefined by medium, Celso Castro’s works each carry...
Category
1990s Contemporary Michael Leonard Nude Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Pencil, Paper
The Boys- Penis. Carbon Pencil on archival paper
By Celso José Castro Daza
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Drawing on paper is his basic work tool, some are sketches of his surviving works, others are sketches of moments he documents.
Undefined by medium, Celso Castro’s works each carry...
Category
2010s Contemporary Michael Leonard Nude Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Carbon Pencil, Paper
$1,770
H 48 in W 39 in D 0.1 in
MB 018 (Figurative Life Drawing of Handsome Male Nude by Mark Beard)
By Mark Beard
Located in Hudson, NY
Academic life drawing of male nude with charcoal and graphite by Mark Beard, "MB 018"
graphite, Conte crayon and charcoal on Arches paper
30 x 19 inches unframed
Signed, lower right
...
Category
2010s Contemporary Michael Leonard Nude Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Conté, Charcoal, Archival Paper, Graphite
$1,650
H 30 in W 19 in
Previously Available Items
Change into White
By Michael Leonard
Located in London, GB
Graphite pencil on paper, signed and dated (middle right), 22cm x 20cm, (51cm x 46cm framed). (This work was kept by the artist for his personal collection. This was the only tonal d...
Category
1990s Contemporary Michael Leonard Nude Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Carbon Pencil
Dressing 43
By Michael Leonard
Located in London, GB
Michael Leonard, (British b.1933), Dressing 43, 1982, Graphite pencil on paper, initialed and dated 'ML82', 19.5cm x 14cm, (framed 39cm x 30cm).
Michael Leonard is most probably mos...
Category
1980s Post-War Michael Leonard Nude Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Pencil
Michael Leonard nude drawings and watercolors for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a wide variety of authentic Michael Leonard nude drawings and watercolors available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Michael Leonard in paper, pencil, carbon pencil and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the contemporary style. Not every interior allows for large Michael Leonard nude drawings and watercolors, so small editions measuring 13 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Francine Auvrouin, Julita Malinowska, and Garek. Michael Leonard nude drawings and watercolors prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $7,140 and tops out at $29,200, while the average work can sell for $12,978.