Nude

In a vertical canvas, a woman with her black hair pinned up sits sideways on a red patterned rug, her left arm on a blue cushion and her cheek resting on her hand. At her feet spreads a textile in many colors and patterns, and the background is filled with short strokes of pale purple and pink. At the upper right is the vertical signature "October, Showa 10, Okada Saburosuke."

It was painted in 1935, four years before Okada's death. Unlike the pale coloring of his earlier "Field of Flowers," it sets strong reds, blues, and greens side by side and layers the paint thickly. While the patterns of the textile are painted in fine detail, the skin is rendered bright and smooth, and the richness of color stands out. The work conveys the drive of a painter who kept trying new expression even in his mid-sixties.

The Saga Prefectural Art Museum regards this work as a masterpiece of his late years, and it was designated an Important Cultural Property of Saga Prefecture in 2014. It is something of a showpiece of the permanent gallery "OKADA-ROOM," which always presents Okada Saburosuke's works, and is shown with rotations of the display.