Marie-Louise von Motesiczky's Posthumous Exhibition at Galerie St. Etienne in New York

Galerie St. Etienne in New York City is presenting a comprehensive exhibition of Marie-Louise von Motesiczky, marking a remarkable posthumous debut for the artist. The show runs through December 30, 2010, at 24 West 57th Street. Von Motesiczky, born into an aristocratic Austrian-Jewish family, lived in London from 1939 until her death in 1996, just before turning 90. She was a protégé of Max Beckmann and, to a lesser extent, Oskar Kokoschka, yet developed her own audaciously lyrical style. Her work features expressive, poignant allegories, often reflecting her life in exile. Notable pieces include the darkly humorous series depicting her elderly mother Henriette, such as 'Mother in a Green Dressing Gown' (1975) and 'The Short Trip' (1965). Art historian Sir Ernst Gombrich, also a Viennese transplant to Hampstead, praised these images for their detachment, comparing them to Dürer's charcoal portraits of his mother. Von Motesiczky's paintings achieve universality through spontaneous meditations on personal exile experiences.