Vladimir Tretchikoff

The Chinese Girl, also popularly known as The Green Lady was painted in 1952 by Vladimir Tretchikoff. You might not be familiar with the artist's name but have seen this print many times and it one of the world best-selling art reproductions of the twentieth century. 

I became familiar with his work in the mid 50’s as Vladimir Tretchikoff lived in South Africa and had a well-published exhibition of his work in Johannesburg. He mixed the exotic with the erotic and marketed his work for the middle-class with inexpensive reproductions.

What caught the eye was the cool blue-green hue covering the face, offset with the with warm colours of the clothing or the background. He was called the King of Kitch by art critics but not by his banker.

My father attended his exhibition in Johannesburg and was in awe of Trechikoffs creativity. Many copycat artists started painting and experimenting with different hues to the skin tones. Prints appeared everywhere of Thretchkoffs' work and the original Green Lady sold for $1.5  million 2013 and on display at the Delaire Graff Estate near Stellenbosch, South Africa.

Vladimir Tretchikoff was born in 1913, in now Petropavl in Kazakhstan and passed away in 2006 in Cape Town.