Female portrait sketch (unfinished) ca. 1920

JQAW# P_1920_010
Oil on cardboard 55 x 53 cm
Signature: unsigned
Private collection Austria

This unsigned and unfinished portrait sketch has survived from the artist's estate. The attribution was made by an inventory number (#1905) on the back of the painting, which corresponds to the one from the list of Adam's estate, which was recorded by the Vienna Künstlerhaus in 1948, as well as on the basis of the provenance of the painting. It can be assumed that the sitter is from the artist's close circle of acquaintances and friends, but an identification of the portrayed person was to date not possible.

The portrait sketch is interesting because it provides insight into the artist's working method. For example, the hair part is unfinished and the nose part is reworked several times, the background and clothing are sketched in a quick painting style and not further worked on. The eyes, on the other hand, are finely executed and have not been reworked, which indicates that they were the central element of the portrait for the artist and were therefore carefully executed at the beginning. Unusual for Adams is also the almost square format of the oil sketch.

Cross-references

Exhibited

Literature

Provenance

Until 1949 estate of the artist.
Since 1949 August and Hedwig Frank (widower of Gladys Frank, née Adams, and his 2nd wife Hedwig, née von Ferstel).
Family descendants from first marriage of Hedwig Frank.
2023 generous gift to the current owner.
Private collection Austria.