Jules Boulez - Naked in the bedroom

Belgian painter Jules Boulez (1889 - 1969) belonged to the third group of the Latem School. This group includes: Hubert Malfait, Albert Saverys, Jozef De Coene, Arthur Deleu, Albert Claeys, Victor Lorein, Achiel Van Sassenbroeck, Louis Pevernagie, and Maurice Schelck. The painting depicts a young, naked woman in the bedroom. Although the expressionist work appears somber in color at first glance, there are very interesting (color) details to discover. In the upper left, for example, we see a curtain with subtle blue and purple hues. Below it stands the washbasin with a striking water feature, almost in a golden color. A somewhat surprising accent is the red blush on the woman's face. To the left of the bed is a simple chair, an item that recurs regularly in his works. The woman herself has a beautiful, powerful build and a self-assured appearance. The frame is very simple and, fortunately, has not been replaced over the years. Since Jules Boulez was also a talented furniture designer, the frame was more than certainly made by him. The painting is dated 1943 on the back, the middle of the Second World War. Which may explain the lack of the right wood or financial resources behind this very simple yet authentic frame.


This work belongs among the highest creations of this artist and is referential to the era in which it was painted.