It Takes Two to Tango

A fellow collector alerted me to this image, appearing on the youtube video, Masculine Women, Feminine Men (it appears at 1.27). The reason? 

This toothsome twosome by Galluba and Hofmann.  These delectable dancers are 8 inches tall and incised "9039" underneath. There is no doubt this china figurine was inspired by the postcard image.   But where did the image come from? Although signed, the image from the video was too blurred to make out the signature. 

 Doing a little research on the Internet, I came across this postcard picturing another prancing pair. The style of the painting seemed similar to that of the first image, and the signature appeared to be the same in style and shape. But really first caught my eye, was that this second image also inspired a figurine in my collection. . . .

Clad in gowns covered in glitter, described in German catalogues as flittergold, these bisque tangoing ladies outfitted in Edwardian elegance are 5.25 inches tall and incised “Germany 8918.”

The signature on the postcard is "Usabal." A little research on vintage postcard websites found Usabal was a prolific painter of seductive Edwardian beauties, and had produced a series of couples, male and female or women, entwined in the tango, including both of these images. However, the artist was variously referred to as Louis Usabal, Luis Usabal, Lotte Usabal, or Lottie Usabal, and was identified as Italian, German, or Spanish. After little more research, I came across footage of Spanish artist Luiz Usabal Y Hernandez (1876-1937) painting portraits of silent screen sirens (in the film, he is referred to as "Louis Usabal, famous artist from old Valencia in Spain"). Pulling up examples of Luiz/Louis Usabal's art, including his movie star porfolio, it was clear to me he is the artist of these two images. His style is the same, the signatures are identical, and the time period is right.