Edwin Lord Weeks

Isaac C. Yawger (d. 1917), Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey
Thence by descent to the present owners (great-grandchildren of the above)

Strip-lined and on a new stretcher, recently cleaned, old top horizontal stretcher bar mark faintly visible, small patch to lower left corner visible on reverse. Under UV: small spot of inpainting associated with the patch fluoresces, no apparent issues otherwise
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Reported to be a student of Jean-Léon Gerôme in his early years, Weeks preferred to be known as a pupil of Léon Bonnat who taught the importance of realism and bold handling of color, often following the example of the Spanish Roman school of Federico Madrazo (Ulrich W. Hiesinger, Edwin Lord Weeks, Visions of India, exh. cat., Vance Jordan Fine Art, New York, 2002, pp. 15-6).  Weeks’ accomplished compositions painted in the decades following his study, like A Moorish Blacksmith, evidence the artist’s lifelong interest in recording the specific details of life in North Africa, Persia, and beyond, as well as the regions' evocative, often exotic, colors.  In the present work Week’s  use of warm golds, vibrant reds, shimmering silvers, and cool blue-greens both capture the blacksmith at work, shoeing a grey horse, and the temperature and mood of the shop’s courtyard. The effect is all the more striking as A Moorish Blacksmith has never before been published in color; before today the painting has been unknown and marks an important discovery.