portrait of a man looking toward right; man has a white beard and hair and dark moustache; man wears a suit jacket, vest, shirt and tie; green ground; green frame with inner gilt molding

Portrait of Fritz Meyer-Fierz, 1909

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Jan Toorop was a leading artist in the Netherlands in the turn of the last century. He was born in Java, in modern-day Indonesia, the son of a Dutch-Indonesian father and an English-Chinese mother. At 14, he moved to the Netherlands, where he trained as an artist. He was active as a draftsman, painter, printmaker, and designer of posters, book illustrations, and decorative arts.

This is one of a pair of portraits (see also 2018.35.1) that Toorop drew in Switzerland in 1909. They depict husband and wife Fritz and Nina Meyer-Fierz of Zurich, who were major collectors of work by modern artists, including Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cézanne, Paul Gauguin—and Toorop. Toorop depicted the 49-year-old Nina as a forceful figure, with an intense gaze. Fritz’s eyes, on the other hand, are averted from the viewer, giving him a more retiring demeanor.

Details
Title
Portrait of Fritz Meyer-Fierz
Artist Life
1858–1928
Role
Artist
Accession Number
2018.35.2
Provenance
Nina and Fritz Meyer Fierz, Zürich (1909−1917); by descent to Robert Franz Meyer-Stünzi, Riesbach (Zürich); his son, Franz Meyer (1909−2007), Basel; Sale, Christie's, Amsterdam, May 29, 2013, lot 4, for PNNLL, to Pappot; (Peter Pappot Kunsthandel, Amsterdam, in 2013; sold to Mosler); (Mireille Mosler Ltd., New York, by 2016−18)
Curator Approved

This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

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portrait of a man looking toward right; man has a white beard and hair and dark moustache; man wears a suit jacket, vest, shirt and tie; green ground; green frame with inner gilt molding