Isidor Kaufmann 1853-1921

Fritz Katz, New York (acording to an old label on the reverse)

New York, The Jewish Museum, between 1940s-60s

Cradled panel. The surface is in good condition. Under UV light: a small touch-up above her head and two minuscule touch-ups above her upper lip.
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NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

This magnificent portrait of a young woman closely resembles the portrait entitled Hannah, formerly in the Furman collection, which Tobias Natter identifies as most probably a likeness of the artist's daucghter (Isidor Kaufmann, Vienna, 1995, p. 192) and was sold in these rooms December 2, 2000, lot 99.

In the present portrait the sitter faces the viewer more squarely than in Hannah. Thus, the viewer can better admire the gold-colored silk dress adorned by a bindalik, the vertical kerchief worn by women over the dress after the wedding. The white, fur-trimmed shoulder scarf is a frequent prop in Kaufmann's portraits of women as are the multi-strand pearl necklace and earrings. The spectacular sterntichel, the headdress of pearls and precious stones, is as richly depicted as in Hannah. It was customary for the married Ashkenazi women to wear the sterntichel over a kupke, a wig that hid their own hair. A richly adorned sterntichel indicated the woman's high social status and it was considered a good mizvah or good deed for a wealthy woman to donate some of the jewels from her own sterntichel to endow a less fortunate bride.

The portrait is set against the same dark red background as in Hannah, which intensifies the bright figure of the young woman.