Femme in Profile, 1974 — Peter Robert Keil

A striking and vibrantly executed work by German artist Peter Robert Keil (b. 1942), celebrated for his bold, expressionist portraits and vivid use of color. Painted in 1974, Femme in Profile captures Keil’s distinctive Cubist-inflected linework and electric palette—here a stylized female visage emerges in strong black contours against a rich green and yellow ground. The piece exemplifies Keil’s signature ability to merge raw energy with graphic precision, a hallmark of his expressive visual language.

Born in Züllichau, Germany, Keil studied under Otto Nagel, a prominent German Expressionist painter who greatly influenced his early development. During the 1960s and 70s, Keil became part of the thriving art scenes of Paris, Palma de Mallorca, and West Berlin, where he formed lasting relationships with luminaries including Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, and Georg Baselitz. These encounters profoundly shaped his artistic trajectory, infusing his work with the confident abstraction and vibrant spirit of postwar European modernism.

This piece is presented in a deeply textured gilt frame under protective glass, emphasizing the luminous color contrasts and graphic composition that define Keil’s mid-century oeuvre. A museum-quality statement work, commanding in scale and presence—ideal for collectors of 20th-century European art.

Provenance:

Private collection, Europe

Period: 1974

Medium: Oil on board

Dimensions: 30” H × 36” W (framed)

Condition: Excellent overall; presented under glass in a gilt wood frame

Artist: Peter Robert Keil (German, b. 1942)