Adrian Gottlieb

Michael Huffington

The portrait of Michael Huffington, American politician, major patron in the fine arts and international film producer, hangs at the top of the grand staircase of the newly launched Huffington Center at St. Sophia Cathedral in Los Angeles. The Huffington Center at Saint Sophia Cathedral, opened in January 2012, is a state of the art […]

V. Reverend J. Bakas

The Very Reverend John S. Bakas is the Dean of St. Sophia’s Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Los Angeles, where he has served his congregation since 1995.  Along with his talented leadership of the Cathedral, and his spiritual commitment to the Greek community in LA, Father Bakas spearheaded the drive for the major restoration of the […]

Portrait of Jorma Ollila

The private portrait of Jorma Ollila was commissioned in tandem with the official Nokia portrait as gift for the honoree for his private art collection. It is still customary in many countries in Europe to commission an official and unofficial portrait for departing Chairmen and CEO’s. This portrait now hangs in Mr. Ollila’s private estate […]

Governor Brian Sandoval

This is the official portrait of Nevada State Governor Brian Sandoval.  A former Nevada Attorney General and Federal district judge, he has also served on the Gaming Commission of Nevada, Nevada Legislative Commission, the Advisory Commission on Sentencing, the Juvenile Justice Commission, and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Oversight Committee.  Brian Sandoval is Nevada’s 29th […]

18th Earl of Pembroke

The official portrait of William Herbert, 18th Earl of Pembroke, was commissioned by Lord Herbert for the private collection of the ancestral family portrait gallery, located on the Wilton House estate in Wilton, England. Wilton House is a historic English country manor situated at Wilton near Salisbury in Wiltshire, the countryseat of the Earls of […]

Medea

In this painting, Adrian Gottlieb hauntingly and beautifully portrays a troubling psychological moment from Classical Greek mythology. The treacherous Medea, who is in love with Jason, the leader of the Argonauts, is contemplating murdering and dismembering her brother, Absyrtus. Her gruesome plan involves scattering pieces of her brother on the road so that when her father, King Aeëtes, […]

Pasithea

In classic Greek mythology, The Three Graces represent a trio of personified female forms of various qualities, such as charm, beauty, nature, creativity, and fertility. Individually, each “Grace,” or virtue,  is referred to in the Greek term as a Charis. Since ancient times and throughout the centuries, artists have been inspired to interpret their own idealized concepts […]

Magic Mirror

The concept behind Gottlieb’s allegorical painting, Magic Mirror, is intended to stir one’s imagination into considering life’s many possibilities. A mirror reflects ourselves in truth. However, a mirror may also reflect our subconscious dreams. In this case, a young woman intently gazes into her mirror, but rather than seeing herself, she sees a beautiful sunset. Her […]

Reveal

Gottlieb’s figurative paintings often display the nude. It is a timeless and classic subject matter that lends a touch of intimacy to the depiction of the human form. In this portrait of one of Gottlieb’s favorite models, Sarah,  she reveals to us her femininity in the dignity of her gaze and her pose. We may […]

Lucretia

The story of Lucretia is a historical legend that grew from Roman folklore about a Roman wife whose rape by an Entruscan king’s son played a vital role in the anti-monarchist rebellion that changed the Roman Kingdom into the Roman Republic. The story has appeared throughout history, beginning with Ovid and St Augustine, later to […]

Morning Roses

Adrian Gottlieb’s vision for Morning Roses was two-fold. First, he sought to communicate the concept of the garden as a retreat — a place not only to bathe the senses, but also to provide a private sanctuary.  To that end, the subject in Morning Roses is carefully posed.  She both savors the fruits of her […]

Portrait of Niclas Gillis

The portrait of Niclas is a recent commission by Michael Huffington in 2015. Niclas is a Swedish filmmaker who is currently working in Los Angeles and New York. He directed video content for companies like the New York Times, The Line Hotel, and Native Son. He is a contributing writer on film for The Last Magazine, […]

Nimbus

In classical mythology a nimbus is a shining cloud sometimes surrounding a deity when on earth. Gottlieb named this painting of one of his former models Toni, to describe the personality she presented for this painting. Her strength of character is apparent as an aura that overshadows the invitation of her open robe and instead […]

Marble Palace

This painting is a play of contrasts with hard & soft textures and warm & cool sensations. Inspired by an Orientalist French painting from the 18th century where a girl lies upon a soft bed of furs, Gottlieb paints an exotic picture where warm sensuality is cooled by the surrounding marble walls. It is a […]

Truth Corrupted by Vanity

The drama of this poetic allegory is a twist on the original painting by Jules Lefebvre of a vision of truth shining a light in the darkness. In Gottlieb’s version of Truth, she stands stands in a gloomy forest with stormy skies above, enchanted by the beauty of her own reflection in the mirror. There […]

Second Thoughts

Inspired by a universal theme of human indecision before commitment, Second Thoughts is a story for all ages. It also serves as an allegory for youth and beauty at the threshold, pausing to consider a moment before moving forward. Adrian and his former model Sarah shopped together for the wedding dress and suitcase in Hollywood. […]

Halcyone

Halcyon is a mythical bird, usually identified with the kingfisher, said to breed about the time of the winter solstice in a nest floating on the sea, and to have the power of charming winds and waves into calmness. Gottlieb presents an embodiment of this rare spirit before us, with the wild wind and stormy […]

Dormir

Dormir is French for “to sleep”. Gottlieb chose a French name for his painting in part to honor a French painter whose work provided the original impetus for Gottlieb to paint his reclining nude. This classic subject and pose has countless guises throughout history from Titian to Manet and beyond, yet Gottlieb’s touch is unmistakeable […]

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 […]

Seeress

Seeress is a medium or clairvoyant, a prophetess of future events. This painting is a vision of warmth that glows with the type of radiance that Gottlieb’s painting is famous for. Golds shine against creamy whites, complemented by rich depths of soft reds, oranges and browns. A touch of the exotic brings a note of […]

The Vantage Point

The painting of the Vantage Point was inspired by a poem by Robert Frost:   If tired of trees I seek again mankind, Well I know where to hie me—in the dawn, To a slope where the cattle keep the lawn, There amid lolling juniper reclined, Myself unseen, I see in white defined Far off […]

Treasured

Although this painting could also be viewed as a portrait, it is a fictional representation of a girl holding a book which is apparently a significant possession. The title alludes to this and also hints that perhaps the girl herself is the real treasure. Treasured was a commission for Fred Ross in 2013. In correspondences between […]

Portrait of Gregg Schneider

The portrait of Gregg was a commission in 2008. Greg is an LA based financial investor who also collects antique pocket watches among other things. The baseball cap that he wears is a personal item chosen to wear for its familiar value. Gottlieb painted Greg’s portrait in his studio over the period of 10 sittings. […]

Portrait of Jim French

The portrait of Jim was commissioned to Adrian Gottlieb during his earlier years as a portrait painter. Gottlieb had already moved to LA after having finished his painting studies in Florence and completed this portrait at the home of Jim French in 2004. Jim French is a photographer and Gottlieb remembers his dry sense of […]

Portrait of Molly

The portrait of Molly was commissioned in 2007 by her mother. Molly appeared on 8 separate visits to pose for Gottlieb, wearing the velvet dress that adds to the timeless look of her portrait. Molly and her family are residents of Los Angeles.  Molly’s portrait was realized in several stages of indirect painting which we […]

Heather on Tuesday

The portrait of one of Gottlieb’s former models Heather, is named because the painting was completed on that particular day in 2009. Its expressive and vivid character is a result of the urgent and immediate pressure of working quickly. Heather had dropped her work as an artist model by that time and had only come […]

The Poet

The portrait of Laci, otherwise titled the Poet is a painting that could be considered an allegory as much as a portrait. Gottlieb leaves it open to interpretation. As is often observed with Gottlieb’s style, there is a timeless quality about it, where the particular details merge with a universal quality. Laci is real yet […]

Portrait of Jennifer Fabos

The portrait of Jennifer is one of the many profiles that Gottlieb has painted. Gottlieb finds profiles to be often as pleasing if not more so than a 3/4 portrait or one that is head on. Depending on the lighting and the characteristics of the portrait subject, Gottlieb may prefer one orientation over another. Jennifer […]

Portrait of Kristen Barron

The portrait of Kristen Barron is an early charcoal commissioned to Adrian Gottlieb in 2005. Close friends of the artist, Kristen and her husband Jon are major patrons and collectors of Gottlieb, are residents of Los Angeles, and own and operate an international health supplement company. Kristen is also a watercolor and oil landscape artist […]

The Director – Portrait of Joe Ballarini

The portrait of Joe Ballarini was commissioned in 2006. Joe Ballarini is a writer and a director known for his work on Turbo (DreamWorks Animation), Epic and Ice Age: Continental Drift (Blue Sky Studios) for Fox Animation. He graduated from the USC School of Cinematic Arts with a minor in Creative Writing. As with most […]

Portrait of Sarah Hilker

The portrait of Sarah Hilker is the only tondo that Gottlieb has painted. It was originally planned as a standard rectangular portrait but Gottlieb decided that its composition needed a circular perimeter. The frame that was chosen for it was custom built by Rhett Ashby in the Italian style of the 16th century. Sarah is […]

La Bohème

The portrait of Leah (La Bohème) was painted during one of Gottlieb’s private classes over the period of 10 weeks. His inspiration for the portrait was during a time in which he was very taken with the work of Friedrich von Amerling, Austro-Hungarian portrait painter of the 19th century. Gottlieb’s approach combined his earlier Verdaccio method with […]

Portrait of Danni

The portrait of Danni is a painting of a young lady who posed for Gottlieb in 2011. Danni was working in performance art and agreed to pose during some spare time in her schedule. This painting was created over the course of ten visits at Gottlieb’s studio. The sober harmony of tones in this painting […]

Upcoming Classes

Model signup

Gottlieb Studios employs models continuously throughout the year. We maintain an address book and … More