Otto Pilny

Sale: Koller Auktionen AG, Zurich, March 23, 2007, lot 3144, illustrated
Acquired at the above sale by the present owner

The following condition report was kindly provided by Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc.: It seems more than likely that this painting has never been removed from its stretcher or damaged in any way. The paint layer is most likely clean and lightly varnished. There are no structural damages or paint losses visible either under ultraviolet light or to the naked eye. This picture is essentially in perfect condition and should be hung as is.
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

Though little is known of Pilny's early artistic career, it may have been during a brief period of study in Vienna that he was encouraged to travel abroad.  Ludwig Deutsch (1855-1935), Rudolf Ernst (1854-1932), and Carl Leopold Müller (1834-1892) had all made this city synonymous with Orientalist art, exhibiting their pictures of Middle Eastern life to great acclaim.  Pilny's first trip to Egypt – the favorite destination of the Austro-Hungarian school – took place in 1889; a second journey followed three years later.   The paintings that resulted record not merely the landscapes and people that Pilny encountered, but the magical effects of Eastern light and sun.  In the present work, a group of Bedouin performs maghrib, the fourth of the five Islamic daily prayers.  The postures they adopt illustrate each of those required to complete one raka, from qiyam (standing) to sajda (prostration).  Independent in their actions, yet bonded by this act, the solemn dignity of the group conveys the depth of their religion.  The remarkable palette that Pilny employs, characteristic in its liberal use of pink and golden paint, provides an ethereal glow.  These colors and this light repeatedly drew Pilny to outdoor scenes of Egypt, and led him to this particular subject several times after 1900. 

 

This catalogue note was written by Dr. Emily M. Weeks.