Nicolas Party's long nude portraits from 2017 are a distinctive and thought-provoking aspect of his artistic oeuvre, showcasing his unique blend of classical inspiration and contemporary sensibility. These works, characterized by their elongated format and use of soft pastels, emphasize Party's fascination with form, color, and the human figure.

In this series, Party employs a vibrant and sometimes surreal palette, which moves beyond traditional representations of the human body to explore more abstract and emotionally resonant territories. His use of pastels allows for a delicate and nuanced rendering of skin tones and textures, enhancing the sensual and intimate quality of these portraits. The elongated format of the canvases further accentuates the figures, creating a sense of elongation and distortion that invites viewers to engage with the works on a deeper level (Hauser & Wirth) (Xavier Hufkens).

Party’s nudes are also notable for their interplay of light and shadow, which imbues the figures with a sense of depth and volume. This technique draws from classical traditions of figure painting, yet Party’s modern touch is evident in the bold, often unnatural hues he uses to highlight and contour the bodies. The result is a series of portraits that are both visually striking and rich with interpretive potential, blending historical reverence with avant-garde creativity (Hauser & Wirth) (Sothebys.com).

The 2017 series was prominently featured in exhibitions and has been praised for its ability to convey complex emotional states through simplicity and abstraction. Party's choice to focus on the nude form speaks to his interest in the timeless and universal themes of human existence, vulnerability, and beauty. By stripping away extraneous details and focusing on the essential forms, Party's long nude portraits invite viewers to consider the profound within the ostensibly simple (Xavier Hufkens) (Hauser & Wirth).