A Life of Pseudonyms and Shadows Lübeck, 1865. The daughter of a pharmacist, Marie Dorette Caroline Schorer grows up in a house where intellectuals and artists gather. Her path diverges from the social expectations of a young woman in Germany when, at seventeen, she leaves her family home for Berlin. This move sparks scandal in her hometown, but it sets the stage for a transformation. In the studios of Berlin, she adopts a new identity: Maria Slavona. The name is a shield and a tool, shared with the Danish painter Vilhelm Petersen. Together, they navigate the art scenes of Europe, seeking a…