Ray McCarthy (American, b.1934) "Maiden Prayer", 2001. As a young man, McCarty studied the great masters in Spain and France and his work began to show the distinct influence of Modigliani, Renoir, and LeTrec. Women in Victorian settings began to take precedence over the cowboys and Native Americans of his earlier western paintings. McCarty’s work is renowned for his dramatic use of line and color, along with foreshortening techniques in figure drawing. He paints with an oil glaze, which allows his charcoal underdrawing to show though. McCarty used live models in all of his portraits. His canvasses capture emotion in all of the many human palettes: proud and naughty, sensual and sexually confident, shy and humble, reflective and contemplative. Original Mixed media on board. Signed and dated lower right: McCarty and with the copyright symbol, titled on the frame plaque, frame 34 x 30 inches