Lot 12
  • 12

Raphael von Ambros

Estimate
100,000 - 150,000 GBP
Log in to view results
bidding is closed

Description

  • Raphael von Ambros
  • The Baker's Shop, Cairo
  • signed and dated R. Ambros. Paris. 89. lower right
  • oil on panel
  • 38.5 by 47cm., 15¼ by 18½in.

Provenance

Private collection, UK

Condition

The panel is flat, even, and ensuring a stable support. Four thin batons have been nailed along the edges of the panel. Ultra-violet light reveals a stroke of retouching in the lower left corner along the extreme framing edge and some pin-head sized isolated spots of cosmetic retouching in the background in the shop's interior. Otherwise, this work appears to be in very good condition and is ready to hang. Presented in a decorative gilt frame.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Catalogue Note

In common with his fellow Austrian Orientalist painters Arthur von Ferraris (lot 2) and Charles Wilda (lot 7), von Ambros established his reputation as a masterful observer of scenes of everyday life in Cairo, painted with the greatest attention to verisimilitude and detail.   Here,  a woman wearing a black niqāb and a lapis lazuli necklace serves refreshments of freshly baked Egyptian flat bread known as aish baladi and bowls of milk or water bread to passers-by. Opening on to the street, her stall offers other local produce, including eggs and vegetables.

Like Wilda, Ludwig Deutsch, and Rudolf Ernst, von Ambros settled in Paris where he found a ready market for his Egyptian subjects. Inspired by his first hand observations during his travels, he was aided by sketches and no doubt by photography (fig. 1).