Moritz Daniel Oppenheim

Private collection, Leipzig, 1880
Felix Frank, Frankfurt am Main, 1900

Katalog der Ausstellung von Werken des Professor Moritz Oppenheim zur Feier seines 100. Geburtstages., exhibition catalogue, Frankfurt Kunstverein, 1900, no. 60
Georg Heuberger and Anton Merk, eds., Moritz Daniel Oppenheim, exhibition catalogue, Frankfurt, 1999, no. I.21, p. 349, listed as "location unknown"

The below condition report has been provided by Simon Parkes of Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc. 502 East 74th St. New York, NY 212-734-3920, simonparkes@msn.com, an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. The work has been lined. The cracking is slightly raised throughout, but there is no visible instability to the paint layer. The painting is very dirty. If it were cleaned, some old retouches would be removed along with airborne dirt and old varnish. Retouches are not clearly visible under ultraviolet light at present. However, to the naked eye, one can see restorations directly above the arched window behind; there are two small damages or possibly one long thin break running about 4 inches here. There is a break above the head of the central figure that has received retouches which are quite discolored. There is another break which has received retouches in the cushion on which the old man is sitting. These three or four areas may be the only structural damages. There is another retouching on the right knee of the seated male figure. These retouches are quite clearly visible to the naked eye. It is expected that some other retouches would become apparent if the work is cleaned, but the work does not seem to be noticeably abraded. One would ideally remove the lining and try to relax the paint layer so that the cracking is not so
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.

Please note that the present lot has been requested on loan for the forthcoming exhibition Towards Egypt: Egyptian Women of the Bible Under European Gaze, which will be held at the Israel Museum from February 26-December 4, 2016.



Sarah Leads Hagar to Abraham is a recently discovered oil and a magnificent example of Oppenheim’s Biblical paintings. Until its recent reappearance in Düsseldorf, the only known version of the subject by the artist was the nearly monochromatic oil study in the collection of the Israel Museum (Fig. 1; Heuberger and Marks, no. I.20). Rendered in magnificent jeweled tones of red and blue, and with a keen sensitivity to the pathos of the moment, the present work was executed 8 years after the oil study, perhaps only upon receiving a commission for the finished version.

Oppenheim’s biblical subjects are rare and highly sought after. In this work, Sarah is placed at the center of the composition, a tall and dignified figure. Her bold decision, taken to ensure the succession of their line, is presented as a moment of high drama. The story of Hagar clearly intrigued the young Oppenheim, as he returned to different moments in the saga throughout the 1820s. For example, Oppenheim painted The Banishment of Hagar twice, in 1824 and in 1826 (Heuberger and Marks, no. I.22 and I.23) and depicted The Salvation of Hagar and Ishmael in the Desert in 1826 (Heuberger and Marks, no. I.28).