Herrenbildnis

Art Historical Context

Walther Gamerith’s *Herrenbildnis* is a compact square portrait painted in oil on plywood before 1949. Measuring just 41 by 41 centimeters, the work belongs to the Belvedere Collection in Vienna, where it is catalogued as a traditional panel painting yet executed on a modern, stable support. Plywood, increasingly available in the early twentieth century, offered artists an affordable and warp-resistant alternative to traditional wooden panels or canvas, reflecting practical adaptations in European studios during and after the war years. The title, translating simply as “Portrait of a Gentlema...