Auction Highlights

From Constantinople to Baghdad, and the Al-Aqsa Mosque to the Bosphorus, historical landmarks and locations were frequently depicted during 19th century and early 20th century Orientalist art. The beautiful and intriguing architecture and landscapes appealed to the Western market for many decades. Today, the art functions as an important historical record of these locations.

Explore cities and historical landmarks, from Cairo to Constantinople

Historic Views

Arms and armour were common inclusions in Orientalist portraiture of the period. These accoutrements would serve a dual purpose; one in the way of fighting and defense, but also as a way of displaying status and power. They would be proudly displayed by their owners and carefully depicted by the artists.

Discover the craftmanship of Ottoman and Moroccan arms and their function as both weapons and status symbols

Ottoman Arms and Armour

The depictions of colourful bazaars, bustling streets and areas of religious importance provided an insight to the everyday life of a local, as well as endless inspiration to the Orientalist painters. Some paintings focused on a single individual, while others captured crowds carrying out their daily duties.

Become immersed in scenes of the everyday, from prayer to mercantile life

 Everyday Life

London

Senior Director, Senior International Specialist

Claude Piening 

Senior Director, Senior Specialist

Tessa  Kostrzewa

Specialist

Emma Gordon

Pre-Sale Coordinator

Dominique Bourassa

Meet our Specialists

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The Orientalist Sale brings together paintings representing the landscapes, people and cultures of North Africa, Egypt, the Levant, Arabia and the Ottoman world during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Highlights from this sale include paintings by renowned artists Rudolf Ernst, Frederick Arthur Bridgman and Jean-Léon Gérôme, as well as rare examples by Thomas Seddon and François-Gabriel Lépaulle.