“But these are two sweet girls”: Horst Lichter is delighted when he sees the painting that is in the “Bares for Rares” expert room. It belongs to the married couple Silke and Reinhard Lindner from Maxhütte-Haidhof and shows his grandmother and her sister, who were painted as children. The grandmother has been dead for 20 years, now Lindner wants to part with the picture: “I have her in my heart, but I don’t need a memory for it.”
Bianca Berding is full of praise for the painting. She describes the grandmother’s gaze, shown on the left, as “lifelike and loving”. She particularly likes the original frame, which protects and cares for the sisters through the protective arch that lies on the canvas. “The frame should always serve the picture,” explains the expert.
Berding also knows something to tell about the artist. The picture was painted in 1912 by Louise Codecasa who lived from 1856 to 1933. “A master of her craft,” as the expert notes. Codecasa received several grants, which was unusual for a woman at the time. Nevertheless, as a woman, she could not – like her male colleagues – become absorbed in the heroic history painting that was popular at the time. She preferred private subjects and genre painting. Today the painter is forgotten, which is why prices are not paid so high for her paintings.
The couple put their desired price at 200 euros. Lights then seem to be far too little: “I would say: that’s what the frame costs,” says the moderator. Bianca Berding also has a different idea: she estimates the value at 600 to 900 euros.
The Lindners are now hoping for the same enthusiasm in the dealer room as with the expert. But at least from Walter Lehnertz there is a rebuff: “They are well painted, but I always find it difficult to do portraits like this if you don’t know the birds,” says “Waldi”. But David Suppes is convinced that this type of picture sells well.
Wolfgang Pauritsch, who starts with 300 euros, sees it that way too. Suppes is also interested, the two drive the price up to 700 euros. For this sum, the latter is ultimately awarded the contract. The sellers are satisfied: they received 500 euros more than they originally wanted. And Reinhard Lindner keeps the memory of his grandmother anyway.
Source: “Bares for Rares” in the ZDF media library
also read
