At Bukowski's, 11 March 2015, they sell a portrait by an "unknown painter", signed A. Fischer, Berlin, 1918, estimated at 800 Euro and currently with a highest bid of 400 Euro. This period is normally not what I'm interested in, but the painting is of such high quality technically that I was a bit amazed that even with a signature, no name was found. UPDATE: sold for 570 Euro, cheap for what it is.
To me, it seems fairly certain that this is a work by Arthur Fischer (1872-1948) from Berlin (other, more sentimental work pictured, sold through Skinner auction house for $2,370). He was a court painter to der Kaiser, Wilhelm II, and a portrait painter for the high society of Berlin. Compared to other works I found by him online, this isn't the most seducing (an older woman and faded roses are less alluring than a young woman for most buyers; coupled with e.g. the black accents on her dress, it looks like a portrait of a mourning woman, which isn't unusual in Berlin in 1918 of course), but it is by far the best. It is damaged around the edges, it looks as if the painting used to be in a clearly smaller frame and that frame damaged the hidden parts; but otherwise it looks to be in very fine condition. But the composition, the colours, the attention to detail, are just great, a lot better than in most other works by him I found, making all price comparisons rather useless as well.
400 or even 800 Euro for a work of this size (120 by 94) and quality seems very cheap, and is probably explained by the subject and the lack of attribution to any painter. I can't help the subject, but the attribution is provided for free!
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