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Adolf Pirsch was born on July 4th 1858 in Gradac in Carniola (Bela Krajina), at the time part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, today's Slovenia. His first teacher was Heinrich Schwach, Academy and gallery director in Graz, who himself studied under Baron Leys in Antwerp. Adolf Pirsch concluded his studies at the Graz Academy in 1879, then went to Italy where he spent a year in Venice, Florence and Rome. His first commissioned works were altar paintings for the churches in Graz and Marburg, and his first portrait exhibition took place in 1896 in Graz. During this period he met his future model and close friend, Belgian woman Olga Legros.

His most famous works of this period are the portraits of the Austrian Emperor Franz Josef and Pope Leo XIII, which can be seen in the Vatican. For many years he lived in Vienna where his female portraits were of great popularity. After spending some years in Dresden he moved to England for the next 14 years and became a requested portrayer of the English high society. He dedicated his studies to English portrait painting of the 18th century, the influence of which is clearly noticeable on his portraits. With the beginning of World War I the Austrian artist was seen as "the enemy" in England, he lost great part of his fortune and left towards Holland to his second partner and future wife the painter Hanna Fieke. From 1916 on he lived in Haarlem with Hanna and daughter Ada. In the Netherlands he achieved the height of his career, again his fame as a talented portrait painter went around and he became - as once in England - the high society's favorite. From this period are the portraits of the Dutch monarchs and the various portraits of Wilhelm II, the former German Emperor exiled in the Netherlands. In 1926 a very successful large Pirsch-exhibition took place, with prominent visitors such as the Prince of Orange, husband of the Queen.

In 1929 Adolf Pirsch died in Graz, Austria.

Condition: good condition, a few spots of foxing

Creation Year: ca 1910

Measurements: UNFRAMED: 29,7x24,0cm/11,7x9,4in

Object Type: Unframed drawing

Style: La Belle Epoque

Technique: Pencil and red chalk on paper

Inscription: -