This portrait represents the scenic alpine town of St Moritz. The clear blue sky and the snow in the background of this piece create a surface-level impression of serenity, however as one focuses more closely on this piece, a feeling of tension emerges. The subject of the piece looks backwards, over her shoulder, her gaze following a trail of footprints in the fresh snow which lead to a hut. In front of the hut, one observes a ‘Percht,’ a dressed-up, frightening figure derived from Austrian folklore, and seen in Austrian costume traditions. There is a sense of duality in this piece; the woman and the ‘Percht’ seem very distant from each other, and they observe each other from afar, perhaps engaging in some form of subtle dialogue. There is an implied sense of discomfort in this interaction. ‘Der Pass’ is part of Wolfgang Dieter Bauer’s series ‘Mystery,’ which explores the dichotomies between dream and reality.