Rudolf Ernst

Purchased by the great grandparents of the present owner in New York between 1888 and 1898; thence by descent

This painting is in good overall condition, presents well and is ready to hang. The lower edge of the panel is somewhat bowed concave and the panel has two fine, minor cracks: one in a circa 3cm. vertical line in the centre of the upper edge, and a circa 2cm. diagonal line in the upper right corner. However, these are marginal and not particularly distracting. On the reverse the panel has a slightly loose horizontal upper baton, and the lower baton is not present. Ultra-violet light reveals strokes of retouching in the sky in the upper right corner, one small area and a couple of very small spots in the far lower left corner. There are some scattered fine, localised lines of craquelure. The figures appear to be untouched. Presented in a decorative gilt frame.
"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."

In the setting for the present work Ernst has taken inspiration from the portal of the Sultan Hasan Mosque in Cairo, regarded as the greatest mosque of the medieval Islamic world. Commissioned by Sultan al-Nasir Hasan, construction began in 1356. The Sultan Hasan also houses a madrasa and is located near the Citadel of Cairo; its walls rise to thirty-six metres, and its minarets to sixty-eight.

Ernst depicts a side gate to the mosque, with its great copper doors and niche with muqarnas decoration, in whose entrance a fortune teller or sufi mystic dispenses his wisdom to a man wearing a Turco-Egyptian hat known as a tarboosh. Men queue up in their dozens in the the blazing afternoon heat to await their turn to be blessed or enlightened.

Ernst's fascination with Islamic culture was sparked by his journeys to Andalusia, the Ottoman Empire, and Egypt in the 1880s, and his paintings reflect not only his skills as an artist but the breadth of his knowledge of the cultures he visited. His meticulous finished paintings are worked up from the sketches, photographs, and props and costumes brought back to Paris from his travels. The close cropping of the present composition, particularly of the figure on the right, is clearly indebted to photography, and gives it the sense of a snap shot of everyday life.