A pair of extremely fine genre scenes with young beautiful ladies was created in the end of 19th century by very renowned and high listed Austrian artist Hans Zatzka ( 1859- Vienna -1945). Both works were signed by H.Zatzka with his famous proven pseudonym "J.Bernard" , one of several pseudonyms adopted by the artist Hans Zatzka to circumvent the exclusionary contracts many 19th c. art dealers and galleries compelled their artists to sign. It was not unusual for popular artists to have contracts at various galleries under different names; this enabled them to offer their works in different venues without breaking any legally binding contractual agreements. They were thus afforded the opportunity for more sales.

Today paintings by Zatzka achieve remarkable prices in the international art auction market. Hans Zatzka studied from 1877 to 1882 at Vienna Art Academy by Christian Griepenkerl and Carl von Blaas. Beeing a student at the Academy, he was awarded with a Gold Füger-Medal. As decoration painter he favoured subjects from Wagner´s operas and mythological scenes. Zatzka was very popular for his paintings of pretty girls, allegorical scenes with nymphs and putti, oriental genre paintings. For other works by this painter on our web-site see items No.2293, 3208, 3508, 3516 , 3907, 4100 and 4231 on our web-site.

Literature: "General Artist´s Lexicon " by Thieme/Becker and " Dictionary of austrian artists " by Prof.H.Fuchs (both in German); for detection of artist´s pseudonym see cataloques of different international auctions.

Inscription: each signed lower right, on the back of panels: original artist´s titles in German and original artist´s inscriptions in German: "Jede Art Vervielfaltigung vorbehalten. Hans Zatzka" (in English: "Each kind of repetition reserved by the artist).

Technique: both oils on wood panels. Luxuriousy original period gold-plated frames.

Measurements: unframed w 10 1/4 inches x h 20 7/8 inches (26 x 53 cm), framed w 18 1/2 inches x h 29 1/8 inches (47 x 74 cm).

Condition: in very good condition.