Lady in a Fur Coat (The Artist’s Wife), 1922

Lady in a Fur Coat is one of Josef Dobrowsky’s (1889–1964) many intriguing women’s portraits: Portrait Isolde Ahlgrimm (Woman in White Blouse), Portrait Mrs. Huber, *Lady in Red Headscarf * are all fascinating, despite the differences between them, for how the pictures convey the personality of the women portrayed. In an experimental take, he portrays his wife Theresia (née Mayer) from an unusual perspective here. The delicate light skin of her neck and face stands out against the heavy dark fur coat she is wearing. He shows her looking a little suspiciously, free of idealization but still mysterious and calmly elegant. The snap-shot like scene is dynamized by fidgety brushstrokes in the coat and background.

RR, 2021