Lot 47

Lev Lerch (1856 - 1892) BÓGÁR

Animal portraits constitute a very small part of Lerch’s oeuvre. The National Gallery’s collections include a similarly meticulously painted portrait of a riding horse in a stable by Lev Lerch, titled *Büszke*. It remains unclear, however, whether these were commissioned portraits for wealthy horse owners. Lev Lerch came from a well-to-do family; his father, Josef O. Lerch, was a pharmacist and professor at the medical faculty. Lev Lerch undertook many study trips abroad and received awards even beyond the country’s borders. In his time, he was in demand and highly regarded for his extraordinary versatility; he painted portraits, created works for religious commissions, and was influenced by the mystical movement, most notably reflected in his work Bludička (1888, National Gallery in Prague).