In Nude Leaning on Back of Chair (1970), Robert De Niro Sr. offers a relaxed yet emotionally charged view of the human figure, one that feels observed rather than staged. The nude bends forward, leaning into the back of a chair, its posture casual and slightly vulnerable. Rather than focusing on exact anatomy, De Niro Sr. allows the body to emerge through sweeping brushstrokes and loose contours, giving the figure a sense of movement and warmth, as if caught mid-gesture.

Color plays a central role in shaping the mood of the painting. The soft pinks and earthy ochres of the figure are set against cooler blues and greens, creating a gentle tension between body and space. The chair, rendered in bright yellows and oranges, anchors the composition while also introducing a note of warmth and structure. Paint is applied openly and confidently, with visible strokes that remind the viewer of the artist’s hand at work. Nothing feels overworked; instead, the image breathes through its immediacy.

This painting comes from a period when De Niro Sr. was fully at ease blending figuration with abstraction. His long-standing admiration for European modernists—particularly artists like Matisse—can be felt in the flattened space and expressive use of color, yet the work remains deeply personal. The figure does not pose for the viewer but seems absorbed in its own quiet moment, lending the painting an intimate, almost private quality.

The work has a strong and well-documented history. It passed from the artist to Poindexter Gallery in New York before entering a private collection in Cannes, France. In 2004, it was included in Robert De Niro, Sr. at Salander-O’Reilly Galleries in New York, where it was illustrated in the exhibition catalogue (p. 69). Together, the painting’s sensitivity, confident handling, and exhibition history underscore its place within De Niro Sr.’s mature and deeply human body of work.