Lot 13: Kaethe Hoeltzell (1925 - 2013) American impressionism

This beautiful and large pastel painting 32" x 22" is by the well listed American artist Kaethe Hoeltzell (1925 - 2013). Kaethe Hoeltzell was born November 24, 1925 in Riga, Latvia, and is the daughter of the lithographer and painter Julius Dering.Fleeing the Russian invasion of Latvia during the 1940s, Kaethe Dering and her family moved to Leipzig, Germany, where she completed her formal art training at the Graphic Academy of Fine Arts. After graduating, Kaethe continued her studies privately under Adolph Drescher and Dorfell Rothchild. During World War II, Kaethe was commissioned as an illustrator for the American Red Cross.Primarily a portraitist, Kaethe's preferred medium was pastel. This work was reminiscent of the graceful elegance of 18th-century French portraiture. Settling in Bad Mergentheim, Kaethe met and married her husband Bruno Hoeltzell. In 1952 Kaethe and Bruno emigrated to Long Island, New York. During the next 25 years she continued her portraiture while rearing her three children.In 1977 Bruno and Kaethe moved to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and purchased the Schramm Galleries, Ltd. At that time she began to develop her mature painting style (strongly influenced by French Impressionism), for which she is best known today.In the spring of 1987 Kaethe was invited to place her paintings within the residential complex being built for Pope John Paul II's visit to Miami.Kaethe's work draws on the best traditions of European Impressionism. She often used her daughter and grandchildren as models, composing her paintings from a variety of sources: life, photography and memory.Her paintings may be found in many private collections across the United States.Information courtesy of the artist.

Very good condition.