Painting Life In Inter-War Berlin | Ernest Neuschul

_{Lot 161 Ernest Neuschul (Czech-British, 1895-1968)
Nude
 signed and dated 'Ernest Neuschul 1927' l.r. oil on canvas}

Born in Aussig, near Prague in 1895, Neuschul was based in Berlin in the pre-war years, becoming part of a new German art movement. During this period he often focused on the daily lives of people of colour in Germany, such as the beautifully rendered mother and child held in the permanent collections of Leicestershire Museum and Art Gallery.
 
In lot 161, Neuschul’s nude sits upright and meets our eye with a directness that is self-assured. The model appears level with the artist, almost looking down towards the painter, a pose that challenges the traditional power dynamic between painter and sitter. Their pose and posture echo this confidence, while an individuality is alluded to through the bright red and purple head wrap, jewelled necklace and hoop earrings, leaving us with the desire to know more about their identity. 
 
Neuschul was Jewish and fled Berlin during the rise of the Nazis in 1933. In 1935, he was asked to exhibit in the Soviet Union and returned to his home in Aussig in 1936 shortly before having to flee to Britain. During the war years, he lived as a refugee in Wales.

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janeoakley@sworder.co.uk | 01279 817778