The work of art that I chose to analyze for this article was found at the Oakland Museum of California. The painting is titled Figura and was created by Otis Oldfield in 1933. The painting depicts a woman leaning against a table in her home, somewhat provocatively, wearing only her underwear. The woman's back is also facing the viewer, which reveals very few details of her face. This painting caught my attention because it was very different from the other nearby paintings. Placed among other depictions of life in the early 1900s, Figura was the only portrait-style painting depicting a half-naked woman. Although this painting was quite different than other nearby paintings, the sheer simplicity of the Figure is what makes it a wonderful work of art. As for the shape of the Figure, several different elements are seen in this painting. The lines are very regular and defined. Because of this you can easily distinguish the woman and other objects in the painting. The shapes are very geometric compared to the panel and the background of the painting. However, the shape of the woman is quite organic. Her body shows her natural curves and looks very realistic. As for the color of this painting, the colors are both warm and cold. The dark, cool background contrasts dramatically with the orange colors of the woman's skin and her underwear. The woman's skin is depicted in warm tones of yellow and orange and her underwear is a plain white color. The texture of this painting is very smooth and the paint is well mixed, there are no chunks or thick layers of paint. Regarding the scale of the painting, the size and relationship between the woman and the background are realistic and proportionate. However, it is obvious that...... middle of paper ......focus on female sexuality, Oldfield leaves the viewer with numerous ideas with which to interpret this painting. The figure is a beautiful painting of an everyday woman in everyday life. Its unique qualities and simplicity made it stand out among other paintings exhibited at the museum. Even though Otis Oldfield wasn't clear on his intentions for this piece, I like that he allows the viewer to interpret the meaning. I also admire his courage in publishing this work despite the controversy due to female nudity. If it weren't for artists like Otis Oldfield who challenged social norms and had the courage to publish controversial artwork, we would lack variety and diversity in the art world. Overall, despite being a simple painting, Figura allows the viewer to interpret its meaning in numerous ways and admire the beauty of the female body.