This fine early 20th-century oil painting by Austrian artist Rudolf Hausleithner (1840-1918) depicts a young lady in profile. Hausleithner was an accomplished painter of religion, history, genre scenes and portraits.Daylight illuminates porcelain skin creating gentle chiaroscuro. The cheeks, a little flushed, are rendered with dexterity. It feels sensitive as if he knows her and somehow alludes to her spirit. It’s a masterclass in subtle handling, a tender portrayal. Born the son of a teacher, Hausleithner was an academy man who studied at two of Europe’s foremost institutions - the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna and the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich. As such, he was encouraged by his tutors to learn from the old masters, the foremost figures of the 16th and 17th centuries, while also analysing classical sculptures. Learning to draw was paramount, understanding the human form in all its complexity. Only then could he progress on to working with paint.Following his training...