Oil on paper, laid down on cardboard and mounted on panel
Germany, late 19th century
Circle of Wilhelm Leibl (1844-1900) - German painter
Gilt ornate frame
Overall dimensions, framed: 75.5 x 65 cm
Provenance: Private collection, Germany
Paintings originating from the artistic circle of Leibl are influenced by the realistic portrayal of people and approach to Impressionism towards the end of the century

The present painting is the work of an artist active in the circle of the German painter Wilhelm Leibl. It depicts a peasant woman with white hood sitting on a chair in front of a green background. The portrait impresses with the unsparing realism with which the woman is represented. Her look is tired and serious, and her face is crossed with deep wrinkles. Thoughtfully, her view is directed downwards. The painter has placed the emphasis on the detailed and realistic representation of the face, while the dynamic and vague brushwork of her dress indicates the influence of Impressionism.



The sheet has been laid down on cardboard and mounted on panel. The paint surface shows small areas of paint losses to the edges and in the lower left corner, as well as some superficial scratches. The edges show some tears; the upper left corner was torn has been fixed. Inspection under UV light reveals small repairs to the shoulders and the robe of the woman, as well as retouching, especially to the left edge. The frame shows some wear consistent with age and use. The overall dimensions, framed, are 75.5 x 65 cm. The paper size is 55.5 x 44.7 cm.



Wilhelm Leibl (1844-1900)

Born in Cologne, Wilhelm Maria Hubertus Leibl is probably one of the most famous exponent of the German realistic painting. He mainly painted portraits. From 1864, Leibl studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich with Hermann Anschütz, Alexander Strähuber, Arthur Georg von Ramberg and Carl Theodor von Piloty. Courbet certainly had a strong influence on Leibl’s paintings, as the ‘Portrait of Mrs. Gedon’ (Neue Pinakothek, Munich), considered an early masterpiece of the artist, testifies. On a trip to Paris in 1870, he got to know the works of Édouard Manet. In the same year, he founded the ‘Leibl circle’ in Munich along with like-minded artists such as Wilhelm Trübner, Carl Schuch, Theodor Alt, Karl Haider and Hans Thoma. In 1873, Leibl moved to Upper Bavaria. In 1892, he was appointed Royal Professor by the Prince Regent Luitpold of Bavaria. His works painted in Upper Bavaria are characterized by a ‘gritty’ realism; while in 1890 he turned to Post-Impressionism, without, however, losing the unity of his physical forms. Today, Leibl's works are on display in numerous major museum collection, including Munich, Cologne, Berlin, Vienna, and St. Petersburg.

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