Jean Discart

Alex Fraser Gallery, Vancouver
The Estate of Clarence Saba, Vancouver

The following condition report was kindly provided by Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc.: This painting on panel is in beautiful condition. The panel is made from a single piece of dark wood which is flat and stable. The paint layer has cracked slightly during drying. In the upper right there are a few tiny retouches which have been applied to diminish this cracking. Elsewhere the retouches are confined to a few spots around the edges and a few extremely small spots within the figure. However these are all very minor details to a picture which is overall in beautiful state.
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In The Moorish Merchant, Discart depicts a vendor in a red fez and striped kaftan calling out to the crowd as he holds an engraved Mamluk style basin full of various objects. His wares include a late Indian or Qajar Iranian helmet, a small pear-shaped stringed instrument called an Oud, and three swords, including one with a flared ivory grip called a yataghan. His basin rests on a Syrian mother-of-pearl table and an overturned brass ewer lies at his feet.

Discart's skill in capturing detail is remarkable; he effectively manipulates the paint and brushstrokes to render various textures, much like his contemporary Deutsch. The exacting detail in the sword's inlaid coral and engraved handles; the pearly sheen of the Ottoman table; the fine cracks in the glazed turquoise tilework on the wall; Discart attempts to recreate each object's individual physical qualities and imbue the scene with a compelling authenticity.