This early 20th-century oil painting by Danish artist Robert Panitzsch (1879-1949) depicts a plush interior with various furnishings including an old master portrait. It’s the home of his daughter, Hilde.

As the light falls through a grand window, our eyes are drawn to the garden with its delicately rendered flora. Pops of violet and red complement the sumptuous interior, which exudes sophistication. An old master portrait, probably Dutch, hangs proudly above a commode decorated with a silver trinket box and flowers. Can you place yourself here? Sat in the armchair with the turquoise cushion while immersed in a novel.

Panitzsch usually painted scenes within his own home but occasionally also used his daughter’s residence for inspiration. He produced a similar work in 1939, which included Hilde sat reading. In that particular piece, the old master portrait featured a different sitter but many of the other furnishings were the same. Little is known about his daughter but clearly she had an impressive home. One can imagine that he was quite proud of her.

Robert Panitzsch trained at the Imperial Academy of Arts in Berlin.

Signed lower right and held within an early 20th-century frame, probably original.

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Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 32” x 28½” / 82cm x 72cm
Year of creation: c. 1935
Condition: Artwork presents well. Minor craquelure but the paint is stable. Frame with various signs of its age.
Artist’s auction maximum: £10,000