Portrait of Paul Cassirer, n. d.

Between 1911 and 1915, Max Oppenheimer (1885–1954) – also known as MOPP – lived in Berlin. Having moved there on the invitation of the publisher, collector and art dealer Paul Cassirer (1871–1926), he wanted to establish himself within the art scene of the metropolis with Cassirer’s help. During this time, MOPP created numerous tension-filled and expressive portraits. He is said to have asked Cassirer for permission to portray his wife, the celebrated actress Tilla Durieux, whom he captured in his work Portrait of Tilla Durieux. The artist portrayed Cassirer himself in the undated lithograph Portrait of Paul Cassirer. The art enthusiast appears on the paper merely by means of black contours that show him in profile, cigarette in mouth and wrinkling his nose. The airy lines capture only the essentials and leave the rest to the imagination. MOPP further left the outlines of the head open on the top and bottom.

RR, 2021