Portrait of a Woman

Marie Wandscheer, born Maria Willemina Wandscheer in Amsterdam on November 19, 1856, was a distinguished Dutch painter whose work spanned various genres, including floral compositions, figure pieces, portraits, and interiors. The daughter of Johan Frederik Christiaan Wandscheer, a shipping company director, and Anna Christina Pilger, Marie pursued her passion for art under the tutelage of Valentijn Bing and later as a student of August Allebé at the Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten for a decade. Her artistic journey led her to Nieuwer-Amstel from 1892 to 1895 before settling in Ede for the remainder of her life. In Ede, she formed a significant friendship with the painter and etcher Willem Witsen, who also became her mentor, and Lizzy Ansingh, linking her to the Amsterdamse Joffers, a group of female artists to which she is often associated. Wandscheer's artistic repertoire was diverse, employing mediums such as pastels and etchings alongside her oil paintings. Her membership in prestigious societies like Arti et Amicitiae and Pulchri underscored her standing in the Dutch art community. Throughout her career, her works were exhibited in major Dutch cities, including Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam, and Ede, as well as with the Renkumse kunstenaarsvereniging Pictura Veluvensis. Despite her contributions, posthumous recognition in her final hometown was limited, with a notable exhibition at the Historisch Museum Ede in 2006 titled 'Marie Wandscheer weer aan de wand' bringing her legacy back into the public eye. Marie Wandscheer passed away in Ede on September 18, 1936, leaving behind a body of work that reflects her skill and the cultural milieu of her time.