Fritz Scholder
(Luiseño, 1937-2005)
Mystery Woman, edition 9/12
bronze
signed Scholder and numbered (left hip)
height 22 1/2 x width 10 x depth 7 inches
Property from the Estate of Donna Fuller, New York

To the collectors of Fritz Scholder’s art, the name Donna Fuller may not spark any recognition. The image of his “Mystery Woman”, however, looms large in his body of work; his imagery of a petite, blonde model populates many of his mid-career canvases and inspired bronzes such as this. For years, the identity of this figure has been the subject of speculation and intrigue, in part because Scholder himself was often cryptic about his work, preferring to leave interpretation open to the viewer.

Despite, or perhaps because of the mystery surrounding her identity, the “Mystery Woman" remains an iconic and enigmatic figure in Scholder's oeuvre, embodying themes of intrigue, introspection, and the complexity of the human experience. The story of the woman behind the mystery, however, is one that deserves to be told. Donna Fuller was a woman of passion, vision, complexity, and spirit.