Doris König sits in an elegant pose on a simple chair, smiling confidently and very attentive. The red robe of the judge looks solemn, almost as stylish as an evening gown, as the artist Kathrin Landa painted her in oil on a 135 × 100 centimetre canvas for the Federal Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe.
Doris König was a judge there for eleven years, five of which she was its Vice-President and Chair of the Second Senate. On the seventh of October, she passed the baton to Ann-Katrin Kaufhold. On her dismissal, she was awarded the Grand Service Ribbon with star and shoulder ribbon, and Doris König specifically looked for a female artist for her portrait, which will now hang in the gallery of former presidents and vice presidents at the Federal Constitutional Court. She chose Kathrin Landa from the many painters suggested to her. After the first meeting and a two-hour conversation with the painter, she was certain that she wanted her portraitist.
The Berlin-based artist, who is also categorised as belonging to the New Leipzig School due to her studies and work there, has dedicated herself exclusively to portrait painting for over twenty years. Many well-known personalities from the worlds of politics and culture have had their portraits painted by her. For example, she has painted portraits of former minister Wolfgang Tiefensee and actor Roman Knižka. Kathrin Landa completed her studies at the HGB under Professor Annette Schröter as a master student.
Doris König travelled to the artist's Kreuzberg studio a total of three times for four-hour modelling sessions. This time spent together and the personal conversations led to Kathrin Landa creating an intensive portrait of an impressive personality. Landa's aim was to portray a woman who is aware of the social impact of her work. A woman of decisions.