Théo van RYSSELBERGHE (1862–1926) — Young Woman in a Hat, c. 1902

This small-scale painting is a work by the Belgian Pointillist artist Théo van Rysselberghe (1862–1926), executed circa 1902. The artwork features a portrait of a young woman wearing a hat.The painting is rendered in vibrant, separate brushstrokes, highly characteristic of the Neo-Impressionist and Fauvist styles. Théo van Rysselberghe is widely recognized as one of the greatest Belgian artists of the turn of the 20th century. He played a pivotal role in promoting the European artistic avant-garde and achieved renown as a master of light and sunshine.In 1886, Van Rysselberghe attended the eighth Impressionist exhibition in Paris, where he encountered Georges Seurat's masterpiece, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. Pointillism profoundly impacted him. Under Seurat's influence, Rysselberghe abandoned realism and adopted the Neo-Impressionist technique. However, unlike Seurat, he rejected rigid geometric figures, preserving instead a vivid, deep psychological expressiveness in his subjects—a quality beautifully demonstrated in this particular painting.The peak of his fame occurred at the turn of the century. He traveled across Europe, exhibiting his work in Paris and Germany, where he met Ottilie Roederstein. Wealthy patrons queued to commission him. It was evidently during this period that he painted the present artwork and presented it to Ottilie Roederstein, a gesture documented by the label on the reverse.The label reads:Widmung u. e.: „à Md. Roederstein“Translated from German:Dedication: "To Madame Roederstein".It further notes:*van Rysselberghe Theo, Gent 23. Nov. 1862, † Saint Clair 13. Dez. 1926, Widmung an Roederstein eines seiner Hauptwerke in der Neuen Pinakothek München.This inscription emphasizes the exceptional value of the provenance, linking this piece to the master's major masterpieces held in the Neue Pinakothek in Munich. This indicates that prior to being gifted to Roederstein, the painting was exhibited at the Pinakothek in Munich.The artwork is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Olivier Bertrand on June 12, 2018. The provenance also includes its presence in the Galerie Nickel-Zadow in Nuremberg. Monogrammed lower left with the artist's stamp "VR".
The painting is in excellent condition.