- 13
Frederick Arthur Bridgman
Description
- Frederick Arthur Bridgman
- Le Jour du Prophete à Blidah, en Algerie
- signed and dated F.A. Bridgman 1900 lower right
- oil on canvas
- 66 by 54.5cm., 26 by 21½in.
Provenance
Sale: Gros & Delettrez, Paris, 13 December 2010, lot 27
Exhibited
Nice, Société des Beaux-Arts (a label on the reverse)
Literature
Condition
"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
The history of Mawlid is complex, as the legitimacy of the celebration is questioned. Since the exact birth date of the Prophet is unknown, many Muslims believe that it is an arbitrary date chosen to imitate the Christian celebration of Christmas and as such should not be a religious festival. Sunni scholars tend to agree on its legitimacy, whereas Wahhabi scholars do not. The first references to celebrations on this day refer to ones taking place in eighth-century Mecca; however, they become more common from the late twelfth-century onwards. When the ceremonies were first performed, they were often connected not only with Mohammed, but also with his daughter Fatima, his grandson Husseyn and the local caliph (hence some references to the day of the prophets).
Early celebrations included torch-lit processions, animal sacrifice, public feasting and sermons. More recently Mawlid is celebrated with public decoration of streets and houses, processions, the distribution of food and charity, singing, dancing and recitations of texts and poetry dedicated to the life of the prophet. People may fast during daylight hours and then eat large communal meals after sundown.
Mawlid also provided a framework for female involvement. Women often participated in the celebrations outside the mosque rituals. The present work shows a congregation of women dressed in their ritual drapery. It was painted a year after Bridgman's larger work of the same subject, depicting Algerian women burning candles in the cemetry of Oued El-Kebir outside Blidah (fig. 1).