HANS ZATZKA,OIL ON CANVAS 'A YOUNG LADY WITH FRUIT'

Hans Zatzka's painting is a graceful portrayal of a young lady leaning on a bowl of luscious fruit. The artwork is a testament to Zatzka's skill in the classical academic style, showcasing his meticulous attention to detail and vibrant color palette.

The fruits depicted carry a sense of freshness, rendered with vivid colors and a glossy finish that enlivens the painting's atmosphere. A cut-open watermelon and a single piece of melon rest on the table, adding to the visual richness of the scene.

Despite the setting being an interior, the use of a turquoise drapery around the lady creates an illusion of water in the background. This, coupled with the lady's dress delicately enveloping her form, evokes an image reminiscent of water foam, lending a fantastical and dreamlike quality to the scene.

Zatzka's ability to infuse elements of nature and fluidity into an interior portrait demonstrates his artistic prowess in creating a captivating and imaginative composition. The painting captures a harmonious blend of realism and artistic interpretation, inviting viewers into a world of exquisite beauty and fantasy.

Signed: H. Zatzka
Dated: 1904

Dimensions

Canvas height: 17.5"   (44 cm)
Canvas width: 25.5"    (65 cm)

Frame height: 22.5"   (57 cm)
Frame width: 30.5"    (77 cm)

Hans Zatzka (Austrian 1859-1945) was a well-known and regarded Austrian fantasy artist whose most popular and valuable works depicted figures of young maidens with angels, floral and other cheerful and warm scenes, including Orientalist themes. In the past thirty years alone, the high quality and detail of his beautiful paintings has caught the attention of International collectors and art dealers alike, creating a highly sought after market and demand for his instantly recognizable body of work. In the late 19th and early 20th century, many of Zazka's charming works were photographed for commercial and collectible postcards. Though no information about his works being exhibited in museums is currently available, most of Zatzka's paintings are in private collections and, in the past century, very few of them have become available on the open market. At the young age of eighteen Zatzka joined Austria's Academy of Fine Arts under the leadership of Professor Blaas. For his Fine early works, in 1880 he received The Golden Fugermedal award.

Zatzka, like many other artists of the era, traveled around Europe working and selling his art and, in one of his many trips to Italy, he developed a special interest in religious themes, decorating churches with fresco's as well as painting several religious scenes of Madonna's and child, saints, angels and others. In 1885, Zatzka was commissioned to paint "The Naiad of Baden" a ceiling fresco at Kurhaus Baden. Most of Zatzka's income came from his work in religious art and special church commissions.