Rudolf Ernst

Sale: Sotheby's, New York, 28 October 2003, lot 92
Private collection, USA (Sale: Sotheby's, London, 30 May 2008, lot 111)
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

The panel is flat and ensuring a stable support. There is some very light surface rubbing along the left, top and right framing edges. Ultra-violet reveals some cosmetic retouching along the four edges and some other small spots throughout. The picture is otherwise in very good condition and ready to hang. Presented in a decorative gilt frame with a nameplate.
"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."

Ernst's fascination with Islamic culture was sparked by his journeys to Spain and north Africa in the early 1880s and to Turkey and Egypt in the 1890s, and his paintings reflect the breadth of his knowledge. This and the following lot are testament to his eye for detail, from the Ottoman gilt metal-thread embroidered portière and Ladik carpet in A Quiet Moment, to the mashrabiyya (latticed woodwork), onyx columns, Chelaberd Kazak rug and mother-of-pearl and tortoiseshell inlaid chest in The Wool Spinners. Ernst's observations are minutely observed, based on sketches made in the field, or on photographs and props brought back from his travels. He even decorated his Paris studio, where he completed his paintings, in an eclectic eastern style, in which he would paint his models wearing a taboosh, the better to transpose himself into the world he was trying to evoke.