Anna Maria in White

About the Item: An absolutely lovely portrait of a young woman relaxed on a couch that perfectly captures the slackness in her relaxed body, much harder to achieve than it looks. Portrait/figure paintings such as this have always been the specialty of Greek artist Lambro Ahlas - particularly women who appear to be looking off somewhere in thought. Ahlas died in Greece at the age of 94 after a rich life, including early on being one of the few storied survivors of a legendary battle during the Korean War, during which he prayed that if he were to survive God would spare his arms so he could continue painting. His work is in notable private collections and museum, including the Amon Carter Museum of Fort Worth. There is a wealth of information about him on the site ahlas-lambros dot c., a site devoted entirely to his life and work. Comes framed. Here is some biographical information:

From AskArt: Lambro Ahals was born of Greek ancestry, in Oakland, CA. In 1945 he attended California College of Arts and Crafts on a scholarship. He served in Korea with the U.S. Marine Corps and further studied at New York's American Art School. He traveled in Southern Europe for two years painting and drawing, mostly in Athens and Italy.

Ahlas began to develop a stylistic approach to the human form by the 1950s. His palette took on a combination of rich green, blues and yellows. In a time when most of his contemporaries were trying their hands at Abstract Expressionism Ahlas refused to abandon the human form. His work is often associated with simple compositions of women lying down, gazing out a window or sitting alone in a room. Rarely does Ahlas allow his figures to look directly at the viewer. His work reflects a subdued introspection one might associate with the Impressionists of the late 19th century.

Collections:
Amon Carter Museum, Ft. Worth, TX

Published:
American Artist vol. 24 #6, June 1960, Issue 236.