Tolansky was born in Czernowitz, then part of Austria-Hungary now in Ukraine, but grew up in Vienna and always considered herself Austrian.[1] Her father, Salomo, was the Obercantor at the Alte Synagoge in Berlin and an internationally recognised singer.[2]
She studied art in Berlin at the Reimann School and at the Berlin Academy of Fine Arts before moving to England in 1933.[3][4] There she studied at the Manchester Municipal School and later, after World War II, at the Hammersmith Art School in London.[3][4] Tolansky, painting mostly in oils, depicted nude figures, flowers and still life compositions and, throughout her career, had several solo shows at London galleries.[3][4] She was also a regular exhibitor at the Royal Academy and with both the Women's International Art Club and the New English Art Club.[3][4] Tolansky was an elected member of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters.[1] Her work was featured in both Studio International and the ArtReview magazines.[3]
Tolansky married the physicist Samuel Tolansky in 1935, they settled at Richmond in Surrey and had two children.[1][2] Major retrospectives of her work were held at the Mall Galleries in 1979 and at the Hurlingham Gallery in London during 1989.[3][4] The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery holds examples of her paintings.[3]
