Frederick Arthur Bridgman

Private collection, USA

There is a dust lining which is not fully adhered to the back of the artist's canvas. There is some fine drying craquelure visible under close inspection. Ultra-violet light reveals areas of uneven fluorescence, due to old residual varnish, which make the picture difficult to read. There are scattered spots of retouching, mostly minor considering the size of the canvas, notably a repaired tear 7 by 7 in the figure's cloak and a circa 7 cm horizontal repair in the lower part of the pillar along the cloak of the figure to the left. The picture is in overall good condition and ready to hang. Presented in a decorative gilt frame. Colours are somewhat less bright and less red in the original than in the catalogue illustration.
"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."

Private moments such as worship are rare in Bridgman’s oeuvre, as he is better known for his scenes of modern daily life to which he turned in his later career. The Prayer is also distinguished by its rigorous, academic style of execution; painted when the artist was thirty, the influence of his teacher Jean-Léon Gerome (lot 10) is still strongly in evidence, in contrast to the more impressionistic technique he would adopt from the 1880s on (lots 19 & 20).

Bridgman imbues the scene with a psychological intensity not only through the effects of chiaroscuro to bring the praying figure into strong relief against the dark background; unlike his teacher, Gérôme, whose numerous prayer scenes depicted the faithful from behind or in profile, with the mosque's mihrab in view, Bridgman shows the worshipper face on, allowing the viewer to share in his moment of surrender.

Born in Alabama, Bridgman arrived in Paris from America in 1866, and entered Gérôme's studio at the École des Beaux-Arts the following year. Under Gérôme’s tutelage, he developed his pictorial skills and became increasingly interested in Orientalist scenes. His first trips to Algeria and Egypt in 1872 provided a lasting inspiration for his artistic production.