(Pasłęk 1898–1993 Kalmar)

Portrait of a woman.

Pastel on paper.

Signed lower left: Lotte Laserstein.

42.3 x 34.4 cm.

Provenance: Private collection, Switzerland (a gift from the artist).

Lotte Laserstein was born in 1898 in Preussisch-Holland (now Paslek Poland). In 1927 she was one of the first women to study painting at the Akademische Hochschule der Bildenden Künste in Berlin. Within a very short period of time she succeeded in establishing herself as an important portrait painter in the Weimar Republic. Her central motif is the representation of modern and self-assured women. Laserstein’s early work is of the Neue Sachlichkeit style. She breaks, however, with mask-like, lifeless and anonymous depictions of her contemporaries, in that she lends individuality to each of her figures.
When the National Socialists came to power, Laserstein, being of Jewish origin, was obliged to emigrate to Sweden. After initial difficulties in gaining a foothold as an artist in her new home, she finally succeeded in establishing herself as a portrait and landscape painter. Her style changed gradually, however, as she adapted to the art market of the time. Her central motif, though, remained the depiction of female figures. The present work, which was produced during her time in Sweden, shows the portrait of a woman in a mood of quiet melancholy, looking absently into the distance, lost in thought. The soft and delicate pastel tones underscore the delicacy of the female face, with the effect of the sitter being characteristically withdrawn. This barely tangible delicacy is countered with the clear contours around the face and hair, which bring the sitter back into reality and lend her presence.

The works by Lotte Laserstein offered here at auction (including at Koller West) all come from the same private collection. The grandmother of the owner was a close friend of the artist and was in close contact with the whole family, with Laserstein being the Godmother of the mother of the current owner. The personal connection is further emphasised by the dedications on the drawings.