Bruno Lauterbach (Wien 1886-1953) - Porträt eines alten Mannes

Portrait of an old man, signed 'B. Lauterbach 29'.

Bruno Lauterbach (Vienna 1886–1953)

The present painting depicts a finely detailed portrait of an older man and bears the clearly legible signature 'B. Lauterbach 29,' suggesting it was created in 1929 and firmly placing it within the mature oeuvre of the Viennese painter Bruno Lauterbach (1886–1953). Stylistically and atmospherically, the work aligns with the characteristic portrait tradition rooted in Vienna between late Secession, early realism, and a subtly psychological depiction of figures. Lauterbach, trained in Vienna and active as a portraitist and figure painter in the 1920s and 1930s, demonstrates here a confident observer of the human face, capturing with great sensitivity the mental presence and biographical depth of his model.

The face of the old man is modeled with high painterly accuracy. The finely graded tonal values, the sensitive shading of the skin areas, and the sculptural construction of the form all point to a solid academic training, which Lauterbach indeed possessed. Particularly striking is the human closeness that emerges through the calm yet compelling portrayal: The folds of the skin, the fine lines of aging, and the motif-dense shadows in the cheeks and around the eye sockets give the face remarkable liveliness and quietly and naturally tell of a life journey, experience, and dignity. The depiction avoids any pathos and remains nonetheless impressive—a quiet, concentrated realism that bears witness to high artistic seriousness.

The color scheme of the painting is subdued and finely tuned. Particularly striking is the controlled use of muted ochre, brown, and gray tones, which model the skin areas warmly yet realistically. The treatment of the materials is calm and meticulous; the brushwork remains controlled, precise, and without unnecessary expressiveness. This painterly discipline aligns with both the zeitgeist of the late 1920s and Lauterbach's personal style, who was known for a naturalistic, clear, and technically secure portrait approach.

The background design supports concentration on the face and deliberately avoids narrative elements or spatial distractions. The composition is reduced to the essentials, entirely focused on the psychological presence of the depicted person. This historically typical focus on the character image – less representation than essence capture – connects the work with the Viennese portrait tradition from the late 19th century to the interwar period, during which academic realism and modern immediacy merged.

The dating '29' is significant because it points to a phase in which Lauterbach was already artistically established. His work in the late 1920s shows an increasing focus on psychological precision and formal clarity. The work presented here is an example of those portraits in which Lauterbach developed a calm mastery in depicting age, life experience, and individual presence. Such representations were not only artisanal achievements but also part of a cultural understanding of portraiture, in which the character of the person was central and the artist acted as an observer of an individual human being.

Also noteworthy is the authentic condition of the piece. The colors appear stable, and the surface shows a harmonious patina typical for a work from the interwar period. The surface has some noticeable damages to the paint layer. The photographic floral backgrounds visible in the images were, as correctly noted, digitally added using Photoshop and are not part of the original painting.

The frame is included in the auction price.

Worldwide shipping is possible, which, given the age and delicacy of an oil painting, requires appropriate professional packaging that preserves the surface and edges.

Overall, this is a serious, finely crafted, and character-rich portrait of the Viennese artist Bruno Lauterbach from 1929. The work combines academic realism, psychological precision, and the clear, quiet expression typical of Viennese portrait art of the interwar period. It is an authentic, signed, and neatly dated artist's portrait that is both art historically significant and appealing to collectors.