Bidspirit auction | Varda (1893-1971), Portrait of a

Varda (1893-1971), Portrait of a Young Woman, 1917 - This figurative portrait, executed in charcoal and graphite on toned wove paper, depicts a young woman in a head-and-shoulders view. The subject features a stylized, centrally parted wavy hairstyle with tight curls. The technique employs soft, blended tonal shading across the face and neck, with fine linear work defining the eyes, nose, lips, and individual hair strands. The work is signed in graphite at the lower right Varda with the date 1917 inscribed directly below. The drawing is housed in a dark-finished wooden frame featuring a gilded inner beaded course. The verso is secured with a two-piece rough-cut wooden backboard held by oxidized nails, with remnants of aged masking tape present on the wood.