Lot 78. Teodor Axentowicz, Portrait of Frieda Moltzer, Pastel, c.1930s
Pencil and pastels on cardboard, mounted on the frame cover
Teodor Axentowicz (1859-1938) – Polish painter, draftsman and graphic artist
Signed ‘T. Axentowicz’ center right
Dimensions: 92.5 x 71.8 cm
Ornamental partly gilt frame: 111 x 89,5 cm
Provenance: Private collection, Chile, acquired directly from the artist, family-owned ever since

The portrait of an elegant lady in fancy dress and with perl necklace shows Frida Moltzer, née Fischer, who became member of the Moltzer family throught her marriage. The family owned the Bols distillery since the mid-18th century for around hundred years. The affairs of the company were temporarily conducted by Frida’s husband Jan Moltzer while they had been living in Buenos Aires.

Condition:
The drawing is overall in good condition; discolored consistent with age and with scattered foxing marks. The edges show partially rubbed spots and tiny damages. There are scattered rubbed spots center right and lower right and left. The framing cardboard bears foxing marks on the reverse and the frame shows signs of age and wear.

Teodor Axentowicz (1859-1938)
Teodor Axentowicz was born in 1859 in Kronstadt (Brasov), Transylvania. He studied at the beginning of the 1880s at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich. After that he went to Paris where he became a pupil of Emile Auguste Carolus-Duran. In this time, he studied the Old Masters among others Botticelli, Tizian and Velázquez. Right before the turn of the century the artist settled down in Krakow working as a professor at the art college. The oeuvre of the artist presents portraits and figure paintings as well as genre scenes and historic paintings. Axentowicz is well known for his salon portraits and his sceneries of the rural life in East Galicia.

Estimate 6,400-8,000 euro. Auctionata. 11/29/16 (167500)