This original 9x12 pen-and-ink nude study, attributed to celebrated Israeli artist Yossi Stern, showcases his expressive, minimalist approach to the human form. Stern—known as “The Painter of Jerusalem”—masterfully captured anatomy and gesture with a handful of flowing contour lines, rooted in his Hungarian academic training and refined through decades of reportage drawing.
Acquired in New York City, the work reflects the elegance and spontaneity found in Stern’s private sketchbooks, revealing a quieter, more intimate side of his artistry. Offered by Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC, this drawing is ideal for collectors of modernist line art, Israeli art, and classical figurative studies.
Title: Reclining Nude Study (Untitled Line Drawing)
Artist: Yossi Stern (1923–1992) — Attributed
Medium: Pen & Ink Line Drawing on Paper
Size: 9 x 12 inches
Acquired: New York City
Signature: Unsigned
Period: Mid–Late 20th Century
Style: Modernist Figurative Minimalism • Expressionist Line Drawing • Israeli Draftsmanship
This 9x12 pen-and-ink figure study reflects Yossi Stern’s rare but documented work with the female nude, executed with his signature expressive minimalism. The reclining figure—posed in a relaxed, natural posture—is constructed from a series of fluid, confident strokes, some faint and exploratory, others bold and descriptive.
Stern’s European training is evident in the classic handling of anatomy through gesture rather than detail. The contours of the torso and arms are sketched with an energetic elegance, and the lightly indicated facial features give the figure both presence and softness.
This type of drawing is consistent with Stern’s life-drawing sessions and private sketchbooks, where he explored movement, posture, and human form with the same expressive economy that characterized his portraits and Jerusalem figure studies.
Scarcer than his portraits and street scenes, Stern’s nude studies are especially valued for their insight into his observation, sensitivity, and draftsmanship.
Yossi Stern was born in Debrecen, Hungary in 1923. His artistic talents emerged early and were developed through formal training at the Debrecen Academy of Art. At 17, he fled Europe alone and immigrated to Jerusalem, where he became one of the most important illustrators of the mid-20th century.
Official IDF War Artist during the 1948 War of Independence
Prominent illustrator for Israeli newspapers, journals, and books
Portraitist and documentarian of Jerusalem life
Contributor to public, cultural, and commercial artworks
Teacher of drawing and illustration
Exhibited at major institutions including:
Israel Museum (Jerusalem)
Tel Aviv Museum of Art
Bezalel Academy exhibitions
European and American cultural centers
Stern’s work marries:
Central European modernist caricature
Expressionist line drawing
Minimalist contour technique
Humanistic psychological sensitivity
While he is best known for his portraits and Jerusalem street scenes, Stern also produced delicate life drawings such as this nude study, revealing the range of his classical training and expressive control.
His unique visual language—marked by emotional restraint, elegant economy, and narrative clarity—earned him the title “The Painter of Jerusalem.”
Yossi Stern (1923–1992) — Attributed
Reclining Nude Study
Pen & Ink on Paper, 9 x 12 in.
Unsigned; acquired NYC.
Elegant minimalist figure study characteristic of Stern’s expressive contour drawings.
CERTIFICATE OF VALUE & AUTHENTICATION
For Fine Art Appraisal / Insurance Documentation
Artist: Yossi Stern (1923–1992) — Attributed
Title: Reclining Nude Study (Untitled Line Drawing)
Medium: Pen & Ink on Paper
Size: 9 x 12 inches
Date: Mid–Late 20th Century
Signature: Unsigned
Origin: Acquired in New York City
Current Owner: Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC
Authentication Notes:
Though unsigned, this work is attributed to Yossi Stern based on:
Distinctive contour linework and expressive gesture
Stylistic alignment with known Stern life-drawing pieces
Provenance consistent with New York dispersals of Stern’s sketchbooks and estate materials
Private Collection, New York City
Secondary Market, NYC
Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC — Present Owner
This original 9x12 pen-and-ink nude study, attributed to celebrated Israeli artist Yossi Stern, showcases his expressive, minimalist approach to the human form. Stern—known as “The Painter of Jerusalem”—masterfully captured anatomy and gesture with a handful of flowing contour lines, rooted in his Hungarian academic training and refined through decades of reportage drawing.
Acquired in New York City, the work reflects the elegance and spontaneity found in Stern’s private sketchbooks, revealing a quieter, more intimate side of his artistry. Offered by Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC, this drawing is ideal for collectors of modernist line art, Israeli art, and classical figurative studies.
Title: Reclining Nude Study (Untitled Line Drawing)
Artist: Yossi Stern (1923–1992) — Attributed
Medium: Pen & Ink Line Drawing on Paper
Size: 9 x 12 inches
Acquired: New York City
Signature: Unsigned
Period: Mid–Late 20th Century
Style: Modernist Figurative Minimalism • Expressionist Line Drawing • Israeli Draftsmanship
This 9x12 pen-and-ink figure study reflects Yossi Stern’s rare but documented work with the female nude, executed with his signature expressive minimalism. The reclining figure—posed in a relaxed, natural posture—is constructed from a series of fluid, confident strokes, some faint and exploratory, others bold and descriptive.
Stern’s European training is evident in the classic handling of anatomy through gesture rather than detail. The contours of the torso and arms are sketched with an energetic elegance, and the lightly indicated facial features give the figure both presence and softness.
This type of drawing is consistent with Stern’s life-drawing sessions and private sketchbooks, where he explored movement, posture, and human form with the same expressive economy that characterized his portraits and Jerusalem figure studies.
Scarcer than his portraits and street scenes, Stern’s nude studies are especially valued for their insight into his observation, sensitivity, and draftsmanship.
Yossi Stern was born in Debrecen, Hungary in 1923. His artistic talents emerged early and were developed through formal training at the Debrecen Academy of Art. At 17, he fled Europe alone and immigrated to Jerusalem, where he became one of the most important illustrators of the mid-20th century.
Official IDF War Artist during the 1948 War of Independence
Prominent illustrator for Israeli newspapers, journals, and books
Portraitist and documentarian of Jerusalem life
Contributor to public, cultural, and commercial artworks
Teacher of drawing and illustration
Exhibited at major institutions including:
Israel Museum (Jerusalem)
Tel Aviv Museum of Art
Bezalel Academy exhibitions
European and American cultural centers
Stern’s work marries:
Central European modernist caricature
Expressionist line drawing
Minimalist contour technique
Humanistic psychological sensitivity
While he is best known for his portraits and Jerusalem street scenes, Stern also produced delicate life drawings such as this nude study, revealing the range of his classical training and expressive control.
His unique visual language—marked by emotional restraint, elegant economy, and narrative clarity—earned him the title “The Painter of Jerusalem.”
Yossi Stern (1923–1992) — Attributed
Reclining Nude Study
Pen & Ink on Paper, 9 x 12 in.
Unsigned; acquired NYC.
Elegant minimalist figure study characteristic of Stern’s expressive contour drawings.
CERTIFICATE OF VALUE & AUTHENTICATION
For Fine Art Appraisal / Insurance Documentation
Artist: Yossi Stern (1923–1992) — Attributed
Title: Reclining Nude Study (Untitled Line Drawing)
Medium: Pen & Ink on Paper
Size: 9 x 12 inches
Date: Mid–Late 20th Century
Signature: Unsigned
Origin: Acquired in New York City
Current Owner: Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC
Authentication Notes:
Though unsigned, this work is attributed to Yossi Stern based on:
Distinctive contour linework and expressive gesture
Stylistic alignment with known Stern life-drawing pieces
Provenance consistent with New York dispersals of Stern’s sketchbooks and estate materials
Private Collection, New York City
Secondary Market, NYC
Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC — Present Owner
