Félix Ziem

Sale: Hôtel Drouot, Paris, 24 November 1909, lot 31
Private Collection, Canada

Anne Burdin-Hellebranth, Félix Ziem, Brussels, 1998, vol. II, p. 202, no. 1455, catalogued & illustrated

The panel is in good condition, flat and even. There is scattered retouching: flecks of infilling to the panel's grain on the left side, and scattered retouching, mainly along the edge of the panel visible under ultraviolet light. Apart from some abrasion and retouching along the periphery of the work, normally covered by a frame, this work is in overall good condition and ready to hang. This work is unframed.
"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."

The vivacity and freshness of Ziem's palette, his skill at capturing the fleeting effects of light, and his ability to transcribe the iridescence of sunlight on water have often led to comparison with the French Impressionists. More than the Impressionists, however, Ziem wanted to express the poetic quality of his subject, to transform it into a lyrical, dreamlike vision, as in the present work.

Typically, in the present work, Ziem focused on rendering the light effects of the bright sun and the water of the Bosphorus before the Golden Horn rather than elaborate on the accomplished architectural details of the buildings visible in the background, such as the magnificent Hagia Sophia. Although it features some of Constantinople's most famous architectural structures, the atmosphere of the painting is communicated through the golden glow of the setting sun and its glistening colours reflecting in the water.

Like Venice, the subject for which Ziem is now best known, Constantinople attracted numerous artists in the nineteenth century by virtue of its architectural beauty. Viewed from the Bosphorus, the similarities between both cities are indeed striking, and it is thus no wonder that Ziem fell under the spell of this captivating Ottoman city. He produced numerous views of the Hagia Sophia, the Golden Horn, the Bosphorus and Skudari, as well as views on the Asian side of the city.

Paintings of Constantinople proved just as popular back home as views of Venice: a view of the Hagia Sophia exhibited at the prestigious Paris Salon of 1866, for example, soon found its way into the collection of the Musée des Beaux-Arts, Rouen. Another view of the Bosphorus with Hagia Sophia visible in the background is in the collection of the Musée du Petit Palais, Paris.