Portrait of Kornélia Lotz 1895

Károly Lotz painted this portrait of Kornélia Lotz, presumably a family member, with oils, though we are unsure exactly when. Lotz was a Hungarian-German painter known for his murals and history paintings that often adorned the walls and ceilings of significant public buildings, particularly in Budapest. This portrait, however, offers a more intimate glimpse into the artist's world, reflecting the rising prominence of bourgeois portraiture in 19th-century Europe. The woman's delicate features and elegant attire speak to the values of the emerging middle class, who sought to emulate aristocratic tastes and customs. The artist's focus on the individual, rather than grand historical narratives, reflects the changing social landscape and the growing importance of personal identity. To understand the full scope of Lotz's work, one can delve into the archives of the museums and institutions he worked for, examining sketches, letters, and records of commissions to reveal the complex web of social and institutional forces that shaped his art.