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Student Artwork Guide

Nude

William Mcgregor Paxton, 1915

Name Class Date
William Mcgregor Paxton, Nude (1915). Public domain. See this canvas under a moving light: the drawing, the true colour under the varnish, the bare pigment

The facts

Artist
William Mcgregor Paxton topimpressionists.com/en/artists/william-mcgregor-paxton/
Artist’s dates
1869 – 1941
Painted
1915
Movement
Impressionism Painters working fast and outdoors to catch how light actually looked at one moment, rather than finishing smoothly in a studio.

Copyright This work is in the public domain. William Mcgregor Paxton died in 1941; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 2011.

Source: TopImpressionists.com — accessed Sept. 28, 2026

Nude — William Mcgregor Paxton Part 1 · The artwork

In context

Nude — William Mcgregor Paxton

When was this painted?

  1. 1860
  2. 1870
  3. 1880
  4. 1890
  5. 1900
  6. 1910
  7. 1920
  8. 1930
  9. 1940

Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 72 at death.

Painted when the artist was 46. The artist lived to 72. 14 of the 26 dated works by this artist in our catalogue came earlier.

Shaded: the lifetime of William Mcgregor Paxton (1869–1941) ▲ this work, 1915 every dated painting, decade by decade

First works: up to 1908 Main working years: 1908–1917 Late works: from 1917

Those three bands split the works this catalogue has a date for into a first quarter, a middle half and a last quarter. They are not the artist’s complete output: a thin stretch may be a gap in the record rather than a quiet spell. The same years with the artist’s life laid along them

Compare with

  • The New Necklace, 1910 topimpressionists.com/en/art/william-mcgregor-paxton-the-new-necklace-8YDJDF-en/
  • Woman Sewing, 1919 topimpressionists.com/en/art/william-mcgregor-paxton-woman-sewing-8YEA3K-en/
  • Tea Leaves, 1909 topimpressionists.com/en/art/william-mcgregor-paxton-tea-leaves-8YE4Q4-en/

Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.

More works to set beside this one: topimpressionists.com/en/art/similar/william-mcgregor-paxton-nude-8YDJU6-en/

Colours

Measured from the image

    Main colour

    Black #130d0b

    Catalogued palette

    • #130D0B
    • #B7986D
    • #726546
    • #412E14

    These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour

    Palette
    Earthy The dominant colour family in the image.
    Main colour name
    Black
    Intensity
    Monochromatic How saturated and varied the colours are, from a single toned-down hue to many bright ones.
    Contrast
    Bold How much the colours differ in lightness and saturation across the picture.
    Harmony
    Strong Color Unity How well the colours work together, from clashing to fully unified.
    Brightness
    Deep_shadow How light or dark the picture reads overall, from deep shadow to bright highlight.
    Saturation
    Subtle Color How pure and strong the colours are, from near-grey to fully vivid.

    Where in the world is this painting looked at?

    • under 1%
    • 1–3%
    • 3–8%
    • 8–20%
    • 20% and over
    This painting alone has too few recorded visitors to map, so the plate reads every work by William Mcgregor Paxton over the last twelve months — 3 countries in all. Where these figures come from

    The ten leading countries

    1. 1 China 63.2%
    2. 2 Belgium 21.1%
    3. 3 United States of America 15.8%

    Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.

    The 16 most looked-at works by William Mcgregor Paxton

    1. 1 Nausicaa 23.1%
    2. 2 The Other Room, 1916 11.5%
    3. 3 The New Necklace, 1910 7.7%
    4. 4 Portrait of Enid Hallin 7.7%
    5. 5 The Tam 7.7%
    6. 6 Girl with a Hand Mirror, 1915 3.8%
    7. 7 Woman Sewing, 1919 3.8%
    8. 8 The crystal 3.8%
    9. 9 Girl combing her hair 3.8%
    10. 10 Portrait of Louise Converse, 1915 3.8%
    11. 11 The Yellow Jacket, 1907 3.8%
    12. 12 The White Veranda, 1902 3.8%
    13. 13 Pretty Girl, 1926 3.8%
    14. 14 The Shade Hat, 1912 3.8%
    15. 15 Nude, 1915 this painting 3.8%
    16. 16 In the Studio 3.8%

    Together these works take 99.5% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 41 works by this artist, of which 16 were looked at at least once. This painting ranks 15 of them, with 3.8% of that attention. The same counts, month by month

    Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.

    Source: TopImpressionists.com — accessed Sept. 28, 2026

    Nude — William Mcgregor Paxton Part 2 · In context

    Artist and museum

    Artist

    William Mcgregor Paxton

    Born in Baltimore, United States of America

    a boston school luminary

    william mcgregor paxton, an american painter and instructor, left an indelible mark on the art world with his captivating portraits and interior scenes. born on june 22, 1869, in the united states, paxton's artistic journey is a testament to his dedication to the boston school paradigm.

    early life and education

    paxton's artistic odyssey began at cowles art school, where he not only honed his skills but also met his wife, elizabeth okie paxton. he later taught briefly at this institution, further solidifying his connection to the boston art community. his tenure at the museum of fine arts school in boston deepened his understanding of the city's vibrant art scene.

    artistic contributions

    paxton is renowned for his portraits, including those of two u.s. presidents: grover cleveland and calvin coolidge. his interior scenes, often featuring women, showcase his mastery of capturing the essence of his subjects. notably, his wife, elizabeth okie paxton, has been a frequent subject in his works.

    notable works and locations

    - girl with a hand mirror (reading public museum, pennsylvania), a quintessential example of paxton's opulent interior scenes. - portraits of grover cleveland and calvin coolidge, showcasing his skill in capturing the essence of historical figures.

    museums and collections featuring his work

    - the butler institute of american art (youngstown, ohio), a significant institution for american art, featuring paxton's works among its diverse collection. - somerville college (oxford, uk), while not exclusively focused on paxton, its collection includes notable works that reflect the broader context of american and british art.

    explore william mcgregor paxton's artworks on AllPaintingsStore

    discover the butler institute of american art on AllPaintingsStore

    learn more about william mcgregor paxton on wikipedia

    conclusion: william mcgregor paxton's legacy is a testament to his significant contributions to american art, particularly within the boston school. his captivating portraits and interior scenes continue to inspire, offering a glimpse into the lives of those he painted.

    Where to read more

    Find this online

    QR code linking to the download page for Nude

    topimpressionists.com/en/art/download/william-mcgregor-paxton-nude-8YDJU6-en/

    Cite this artwork

    MLA
    Paxton, William Mcgregor. Nude. 1915, https://topimpressionists.com/en/art/william-mcgregor-paxton-nude-8YDJU6-en/
    APA
    Paxton, William Mcgregor (1915). Nude [Painting]. https://topimpressionists.com/en/art/william-mcgregor-paxton-nude-8YDJU6-en/
    Chicago
    William Mcgregor Paxton. Nude. 1915. https://topimpressionists.com/en/art/william-mcgregor-paxton-nude-8YDJU6-en/
    Harvard
    Paxton, William Mcgregor (1915) Nude. Available at: https://topimpressionists.com/en/art/william-mcgregor-paxton-nude-8YDJU6-en/

    Source: TopImpressionists.com — accessed Sept. 28, 2026

    Nude — William Mcgregor Paxton Part 3 · Artist and museum

    Look closely

    Nude — William Mcgregor Paxton

    Look closely

    Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.

    1. What catches your eye first, and why?
    2. Which colours or shapes create the mood — and what is that mood?
    3. Our catalogue files this work under: nude figure, bedroom scene, relaxed pose. Do you agree? What would you add, or take away?
    4. Look back at The New Necklace (1910), earlier in this guide. Name two things it shares with this work, and one that is different.
    5. Impressionism: Painters working fast and outdoors to catch how light actually looked at one moment, rather than finishing smoothly in a studio. Where can you see that in this work?

    Your response

    Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.

    Source: TopImpressionists.com — accessed Sept. 28, 2026

    Nude — William Mcgregor Paxton Part 4 · Look closely

    Questions & Answers

    What are the author and date of "Nude"?

    William Mcgregor Paxton made "Nude" in 1915.

    How can I get a print of "Nude" by William Mcgregor Paxton?

    A print of "Nude" by William Mcgregor Paxton can be ordered directly on its Fine Art Print page: a fine art print on cotton canvas or archival canvas paper.

    What is the perceived brightness of "Nude" by William Mcgregor Paxton?

    Overall, "Nude" is recorded as deep_shadow. Perceived brightness describes how light or dark the work appears.