Maria Lassnig

Born in 1919, Maria Lassnig has been producing work over a period of 60 years in Paris, New York and Vienna Photograph: Monopol/Elfie Semotan 2007/Monopol/Elfie Semotan 2007

Spell (2006). The critical consensus is that Lassnig's recent work is among her most fascinating Photograph: Courtesy the artist, Hauser & Wirth Zürich London and Friedrich Petzel Gallery, New York © 2008 Maria Lassnig/the artist, Hauser & Wirth Zürich London and Friedrich Petzel Gallery, New York

Hospital (Krankenhaus) is one of a long series of what she calls 'body-awareness paintings' Photograph: Courtesy the artist, Hauser & Wirth Zürich London and Friedrich Petzel Gallery, New York © 2008 Maria Lassnig/Private Collection © 2008 Maria Lassnig

Three Ways of Being. According to the Serpentine's description, "Lassnig uses bold forms and strong colours to create portraits and semi-figurative abstractions" Photograph: Courtesy the artist, Hauser & Wirth Zürich London and Friedrich Petzel Gallery, New York © 2008 Maria Lassnig/Courtesy the artist, Hauser & Wirth Zürich London and Friedrich Petzel Gallery, New York © 2008 Maria Lassnig

The World Destroyer (Der Weltzertrülmmerer). This 2003 work of oil on canvas is an example of the role nudity plays in her work Photograph: Courtesy the artist, Hauser & Wirth Zürich London and Friedrich Petzel Gallery, New York © 2008 Maria Lassnig/Courtesy the artist, Hauser & Wirth Zürich London and Friedrich Petzel Gallery, New York © 2008 Maria Lassnig

The Illegitimate Bride. Lassnig's viewpoint has been described as feminist and she became the first female professor of painting in a German-speaking country at Vienna University of Applied Arts in 1980 Photograph: Courtesy the artist, Hauser & Wirth Zürich London and Friedrich Petzel Gallery, New York © 2008 Maria Lassnig/Courtesy the artist, Hauser & Wirth Zürich London and Friedrich Petzel Gallery, New York © 2008 Maria Lassnig

Couple (2005). The powerful bodily sensation of being wrapped in plastic is an image Lassnig has visited on more than one occasion Photograph: Courtesy the artist, Hauser & Wirth Zürich London and Friedrich Petzel Gallery, New York © 2008 Maria Lassnig/Courtesy the artist, Hauser & Wirth Zürich London and Friedrich Petzel Gallery, New York © 2008 Maria Lassnig

Maria Lassnig, Self-Portrait with Cooking Pot (Selbsporträt mit Kochtopf), 1995. Photograph: Courtesy the artist, Hauser & Wirth Zürich London and Friedrich Petzel Gallery, New York © 2008 Maria Lassnig/Courtesy the artist, Hauser & Wirth Zürich London and Friedrich Petzel Gallery, New York © 2008 Maria Lassnig