Kisfaludi Strobl Zsigmond (1884–1975)

The Towel Woman is a distinctive variant of Kisfaludi Strobl Zsigmond's classicizing female figure type: a young woman stepping out of a bath, holding a towel across her chest, standing with her head modestly bowed on an organic, root-like pedestal. The slender body’s S-shaped counter-pose and the restrained dynamism of the draped textile create a balance between naturalistic modeling and the clarity of art deco. The light, shiny glaze unifies the surface, while the contour highlights delicately outline the anatomical details. The subject has been a popular "bather/spring woman" since the turn of the century, appearing in various sizes and materials (ceramics, porcelain, marble) in Kisfaludi's workshop. This piece is a 53 cm version, and similar examples have appeared in domestic auctions under the title "Towel Woman / Bathing Woman." Technique, material: glazed ceramic. Size: 53 × 22 cm. Condition keywords: uniform glaze, possible fine hairline cracks; factory/mold marks on the pedestal. Romantic title:By the Spring: the Silence of Dawn. (Provenance: auction history of marked examples is known; see Darabanth and OneBid archived lot lists.)