Jon Berg Fine Art
FRIEDA HAUSWIRTH DAS 1886-1974 impressionist painting India

FRIEDA HAUSWIRTH DAS 1886-1974 impressionist painting India

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Directory: Fine Art: Paintings: Oil: Asia: Pre 1950: Item # 1455460
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A fine quality impressionist painting by the hand of noted Swiss-born artist FRIEDA HAUSWIRTH DAS (1886-1974), the scene featuring a dark-skinned man with balanced shoulder carrier on a beach where cattle seem to be congregating. The 14 1/2" by 18" oil on canvas laid on board is a rare work by the world-traveled artist, who is also known as an author, illustrator, and progressive feminist for her time. Born in 1886 in Switzerland, she lived a fascinating life, much of it documented in her own writing, and, now, on the internet. Early study at Bern and Zurich was followed by study at Stanford University in Northern California, from which Hauswirth graduated in 1910. She took art lessons from Gottardo Piazzoni at the California School of Fine Art in San Francisco. By 1917 she had married, in Hawaii, Saranghyadar Das, who was to become a prominent figure at mid century with the framing of the Indian constitution and Indian politics, until his death in 1957. The couple moved to Calcutta in 1920, but the interracial marriage, unusual for the time, led to difficulties. The artist traveled freely between California, Europe and India for some years, exhibiting her works in many cities. A 1930 book by her "A Love for India" documents her life at this period, where she sketched Gandhi from life, and corresponded with Rabindranath Tagore, a prominent figure in India. In the 1940's, she set off bravely for Mexico's Lake Chapala art colony, at Ajijic. The artist seems to be known today more for her writings and notable early feminism/progressive views, than for her paintings, which seem to be rare indeed, there being no auction records. Certainly she led a very interesting life, before passing away in 1974 at an advanced age.