Helene Odilon as Dubarry Duplicate 1903

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JQAW# P_1903_050
Oil on canvas 150 x 120 cm
Signature: JQ (intertwined) Ɑdams 1903
Unknown private collection (Poland?)
Picture: online art trade Poland

The actress Helene Odilon in a theater role as Madame Dubarry from the stage play of the same name by David Belasco (see cross-references).

Helene Odilon (stage name), née Petermann 31.7.1865 Dresden to 9.2.1939 Baden near Vienna, scandal-ridden actress with a tragic end.
See also her catalog entry at the original work (cross-references).

This duplicate, likely made close to the original, shows the artist as a skillful copyist, this time of his own work. The original caused a sensation at the 1903 exhibition at the Vienna Künstlerhaus and was even favorably commented on by Emperor Franz Josef, who had the young artist introduced to him. It was also sold directly at the exhibition. Probably because of this success, Adams made this duplicate and exhibited it again at the Künstlerhaus in 1903/04. Based on the sticker on the back of the painting, which corresponds with the Künstlerhaus's entry book (EL 47 1903/04 #563), there is no doubt about the authenticity of the duplicate. The duplicate remained unsold at the exhibition and was returned to Adams on 27.4.1905.

The provenance of this work is shrouded in mystery. The owner(s) after 1905 are unknown. At an unknown date (probably after 2010), the painting came into the possession of a Polish antique dealer who, according to his own information, acquired the painting through the mediation of his chauffeur from unknown in Vienna and first offered the painting for sale himself online in 2019 (www.antykigniezno.com for around 40,000 zloty or about 9,000 euros). Later, the painting was also offered on the art trading platform artinfo.pl, where it disappeared from the offer in 2022 and probably ended up in an unknown private collection.

Cross-references

Photo of Helene Odilon in her role/costume as Madame Dubarry 1902/1903

Exhibited

1903-04 Künstlerhaus Vienna (EL 47 1903/04 #563)

Literature

Provenance

Unknown and mysterious.
At unknown date acquired by Polish antiques dealer (according to his information provided in Vienna).
2019-2021 offered on Polish art trade platform artinfo.pl.
Since 2022 unknown private collection (Poland?).