Portrait of a Lady

"Portrait of a Lady" from 1988 is a symbol of the fusion of femininity, nature, and mysticism – a work in which Prof. Ri Meuser von Eschmar unfolds her self-developed mono sgraffito technique in its full expressive power.

The lady appears here as a figure between worlds – her features are human, yet her gaze seems to reach beyond the earthly. She wears a crown-like horn headpiece, which connects her to ancient symbols of wisdom and fertility. Dancing around her are light, color, and movement: a bird, a fish, fine lines of gold and silver that make the invisible visible.

The interplay of gold, ocher, and shimmering blue gives the work a spiritual depth. The surface is alive—up to sixteen layers of pigments, metal dust, and fine engravings are superimposed. This interplay of light and texture literally makes the figure "light up," depending on how the painting is viewed.

In terms of content, "Portrait of a Lady" embodies the archetypal image of the creative woman: guardian of light and life, connected to nature and at the same time a source of the mystical. The fish—one of the recurring symbols in Meuser’s work—refers to purity and immortality, while the bird stands for spirit and freedom.

With "Portrait of a Lady," Meuser created a work that transcends the boundaries of portraiture. It is an allegory of life itself – changeable, luminous, mysterious. A work of art that does not want to be merely viewed, but experienced – in a constant dialogue of light, movement, and soul.