Esther Mengold

Esther Altherr-Mengold (1877–1954) was a Swiss painter of portraits, landscapes and still lifes. Early life and education Mengold was born Esther Mengold in Basel in Switzerland on 25 August 1877. She was the daughter of Adolf Mengold (1841–1912) and Hermine, née Naegeli (1855–1927). She attended the Basel School of Applied Arts, or General Trade School, where she took painting and drawing classes with . She then studied briefly at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze (Florence, Italy) before deciding to continue her studies independently, moving to Munich in Germany. There, she joined the . One of the teachers there, Leo Putz, recommended that she study in the artists' colony in Dachau and she moved there to study under Adolf Hölzel. She soon left Dachau and went to London to study and paint completely independently, beginning to make a name for herself as a portraitist before returning to Basel.

Career Continuing to work on portraits, including one of the Swiss poet, , Mengold began to exhibit in Basel in around 1904. In March 1907, she joined with other younger painters from Basel to organise an exhibition. This aroused some opposition, particularly from the city's older and more-established artists. Among those to exhibit were Carl Burckhardt and his wife, Sophie, as well as , who Mengold married in that year. Altherr's brother, Heinrich Altherr, was also closely involved with the group.

Death Mengold died on 25 April 1954 in Basel. She was buried in the cemetery in Basel.