Rudolf Weisse

Acquired by the family of the present owner in the early 20th century; thence by descent

The following condition report has been prepared by Hamish Dewar Ltd., of 13 & 14 Mason's Yard, London SW1Y 6BU: UNCONDITIONAL AND WITHOUT PREJUDICE Structural condition The artist's panel is providing an even and stable structural support. Paint surface The paint surface has an even varnish layer. There is a pattern of drying cracks within the figures and open windows in the centre of the composition. These are entirely stable and are not particularly visually distracting. Inspection under ultra-violet light shows some very fine lines of inpainting corresponding to the pattern of drying cracks mentioned above. There are also some very small spots and lines of retouching within the arches of the windows in the upper right quadrant of the composition. Summary The painting would therefore appear to be in very good and stable condition with no further work required.
"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."

The present work exemplifies Weisse's masterful depictions of daily Egyptian life rendered in photographic detail, built up from first hand observations and detailed sketches made on the spot in Cairo and its environs. Weisse also brought home with him a whole collection of props, ranging from ceramics and tiles, pipes and weapons, inlaid furniture and rugs, to beautiful dishdashas and silk robes, which he painted meticulously in his studio to evoke the rich and colourful street life of the East.

Weisse was born in Aussig (modern-day Usti) on the banks of the river Elbe. He studied at the Viennese Akademie der Bildenden Künste, but settled in Paris, where he became a regular exhibitor at the Salon from 1889 (when he showed at the Exposition Universelle) until 1927. Like fellow Austrian School painters Ludwig Deutsch (lot 7) and Rudolf Ernst (lots 16, 25, and 29), Weisse specialised in Orientalist subjects from early in his career, responding to a ready market for such new and exciting subjects.