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Amalia Schulthess
Harlequin Lady and Her Owl - Color Drawing by Amalia Schulthess

1940s

About the Item

Everything about Amalia Schulthess's work is wonderfully delicate. Our gallery usually features abstract works by this artist. We're very gifted to have this rare figurative and signed color pencil drawing in our hands. A woman adorned in a harlequin blouse stands with folded arms, accompanied by an owl perched upon her shoulder. Seeing an owl is intriguing, as we are more accustomed to parrots in such situations. The focal point lies in the intensity of their gazes. The woman's eyes are black and pupilless, yet enhanced by eyelashes; the gaze takes on expressiveness, partially framed by black eyebrows in downward movement. Could she be a circus performer or perhaps an owl tamer? The woman's face, painted white, presents a red mouth that is contained in another drawn mouth wider. Her dark hair is elegantly arranged in a bun. The expression given to the owl's eyes carries a sense of amusement. Amalia Schulthess was born in Zurich in 1918 and died in 2021. Paul Klee, a friend of her father, had been a key source of inspiration to Amalia; he encouraged her to express herself and commit to the pursuit of artmaking. After World War II, she moved to New York, where she met and became friends with Piet Mondrian encouraged her to paint and gave her many good ideas for exercises in painting that could prove helpful to her technique. At this time, she was primarily painting with oil and drawing with pastels and colored pencils. In 1941 she moved to Los Angeles, where until the 1960s, she focused on exhibiting her paintings in galleries and museums in California and New Mexico, an area she was drawn to because of the natural landscape and indigenous culture. By the late 60s, she began exploring the three-dimensional medium after Andrew Dasburg suggested the abstract nature of her two-dimensional works might translate well to sculpture. Amalia’s sculptures are very much part of the avant-garde Modernist discourse. She divided her time between living in Los Angeles and Florence, Italy, to learn more. She was involved in numerous shows in Taos and Santa Fe, New Mexico, California, New York, Switzerland, Italy, and France. Her sculptures reside in numerous countries and states. The artwork sits in its original light wood frame.
  • Creator:
    Amalia Schulthess
  • Creation Year:
    1940s
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 21.63 in (54.95 cm)Width: 17.25 in (43.82 cm)Depth: 0.63 in (1.61 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
  • Gallery Location:
    Pasadena, CA
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU654312707552
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