Reclining Figure
Having served in the First World War for two years, Smith returned to London in 1919 wounded and shell-shocked. He led a reclusive existence in a Fitzroy Street attic before moving to Cornwall where he remained for two years in a state of nervous unease. From 1921 through to the early 1930s Smith divided his time between London and Paris. During this period he painted many nudes and is one of the few English painters to excel in this genre. Smith painted thickly and fluently, sometimes using his fingers. The combination of sensual form and colour, particularly in his nudes, has been compared with those of the French artist, Delacroix (1798-1863).
