A sublime early 20th-century portrait of a lady by Dutch painter, Bart Peizel (1887-1974). This is so iconically the 1930s - the hair, the outfit, the expression, and character. She carries the air of a popular socialite, weaving her way between expectations and her own desires.

Bart Peizel was a fascinating artist who became one of the leading portraitists in Amsterdam. He was well-known for his ability to capture an expression - particularly through the sitter’s hands - “the hand often expresses the essence of the person depicted even more strongly than the face.”

But perhaps he was best known for his turbulent marriage to Thérèse Ansingh (1883-1968) who was also a painter. Thérèse was the niece of Thérèse Schwartze (1851-1918) - one of the greatest portraitists of her generation. Together they worked within a group of artists known collectively as the Amsterdamse Joffers. The Joffers were influenced by the French impressionists and admired for their work.

As you can imagine, the popularity of the Joffers within society at the time created plenty of mingling opportunities for Peizel who was never short of a commission. However, it also caused conflict as Peizel’s style was firmly rooted in his traditional teachings rather than the avant-garde. It’s also said that his wife would try to anger him by sending flowers with greeting cards from 'strange men' to her home address. Quite a marriage...

The portrait is housed within a sturdy wooden that’s possibly its original.

Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 27½” x 35” / 70cm x 89cm
Year of creation: 1932
Provenance: Holland
Condition: Very presentable with a few scuffs here and there. Craquelure in areas. Frame with light age-related wear.
Artist’s auction highlight: £19,420 achieved for ‘Glerum’ at an auction in Singapore in 1997.