Cassandra

The painting of Cassandra has an unsettling psychological quality that adds to the mystery of her identity. She is a real woman (a former model of Gottlieb’s) but this painting is not a portrait of her so much as it is a representation of a spirit or idea she might embody. She has taken an allegorical form, possibly a goddess or muse. Gottlieb leaves the question as open as her upturned hands which seem poised to accept or bestow some kind of gift. She looks out to you as though waiting for your response or weighing your reaction. Her dark red hair and startling blue eyes also bring an otherworldly aura to the moment. This painting is now part of the private collection of Jon and Kristen Barron and was purchased in 2006