Maria Bartuszova - Untitled 1986–1987, Plaster casting (created as only one original), 9,5 x 21,5 x 29,5 cm Provenance: private collection (acquired by the owner directly from the author) Exhibited. Publicated. Expertise by Dr Katarina Bajcurova. Dr Katarina Bajcurova remarked: „Maria Bartuszova studied at the Higher School of Applied Arts in Prague, then at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague in the ceramics and porcelain department. After 1963, she worked in Kosice, where she was active in the forms of small-scale and exterior sculpture, in the seventies she addressed the unique problem of haptic aesthetics. Her work gained wide international recognition after her death, with Bartuszova's works becoming included in prestigious international exhibitions. Starting in the 1960s, she devoted herself to abstract work, tending towards the morphology of bioform; she briefly turned to concretism, which she augmented with associativity and imagination. The characteristic material of her sculptures, which determined their fragile expression and their "fleeting" and ephemeral character, was plaster. She developed several new techniques and processes for casting plaster sculptures (so-called pneumatic, gravistimulating molding) formed as impressions, enclosed oval shapes and open perforated shells. In the 1980s and early 1990s, she created several large-scale installations combining plaster and natural elements, most of which unfortunately have not survived.“ Bartuszova's work ranks among the most original contributions to the history of Czech-Slovak, Slovak and European sculpture. Today she is one of the most appreciated artists of the 20th century. A well-received exhibition of the oeuvre of Maria Bartuszova is currently underway at Tate Modern London (from 20. 09. 2022 to 16. 04. 2023). Consulted by Dr Irena Zantovska Murray HonFRIBA, Professor Jaromir Zemina, Dr Jiri Machalicky and Vladimir Lekes.