Edwin Lord Weeks

Sale, American Art Association, “Very Important Finished Pictures, Studies, Sketches and Original Drawings by the Late Edwin Lord Weeks to be sold at unrestricted public sale by order of his widow,” New York,  March 15-17, 1905, lot 265
Henry D. G. Rohlfs, Brooklyn (acquired from the above)
Orr's Gallery, San Diego (as The Rug Sellers, according to a label on the reverse)
Acquired from the above, 1972

Charlotte, Mint Museum, Spectacle of Realism, An Exhibition of 19th Century European and American Paintings, April 15 - May 17, 1970, no. 51, illustrated (as On the Way to Market)

Edwin Lord Weeks, From the Black Sea Through Persia and India. New York, 1895, p. 29-30, describing the present scene or a similar one.
Florence N. Levy, ed., American Art Annual 1905-1906, New York, 1905, p. 105.

The following condition report was kindly provided by Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc.: This painting has probably not been recently restored. The canvas has an old glue lining which is reasonably effective, but the cracking is slightly raised in many areas. The painting does not appear to be particularly dirty, but further cleaning to lift out some of the remaining dirt would probably be effective, although there are slight abrasions here and there. Slight retouches could be applied once the painting is cleaned and lightly varnished, for instance to some of the profiles of the baskets in the back of the horse and the hooves and legs of the horses. Some tiny retouches would be useful in the blue hills beyond in the center, in the dark cloud in the center of the sky, and in a few spots in the water. Although the picture certainly looks fairly respectable at present, a concerted effort to finely diminish some of the slight pentimenti and abrasions in a few areas would be beneficial.
"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."

Edwin Lord Weeks was arguably the most important American orientalist painter of the late 19th century, and unlike many of his colleagues, his work reflects his travels to the regions he depicted. In 1892, Weeks traveled overland from Turkey to India by way of Persia, and published a travel account, From the Black Sea through Persia and India.

This large, expansive painting shows the artist’s own caravan crossing a stream in the vast Persian desert somewhere between Tabreez and Teheran in the fall of 1892. Although it is based on sketches and possibly photographs executed at the time, the finished work was painted in the artist’s studio around 1894-95 after his return to Paris. Despite some dimensional variance, this is most probably Horses at the Ford—Persia, sold at the artist’s estate sale in 1905. The estate sale catalogue describes it:

“Noonday, and the caravan crosses a stream, where the horses pause to drink, and splash a while in the cool water. All around a wilderness of yellow sand shows they have just traversed a dry and arid country.”

After reaching Kizildize, Persia, Weeks wrote: “We are soon crossing fords where broad sheets of white pebbles frame in the narrow water channels, reflecting the indigo-blue of the zenith.” (Weeks, From the Black Sea, New York, 1895, pp.29–30)

The painting reflects a rugged landscape, which Weeks called a “land of vast horizons,” with Persia’s famous “purple mountains” rising behind the “desert plateau.” The pack-horses, which Weeks termed “weather-beaten,” are burdened with heavy rectangular trunks, wrapped in carpets and bound with ropes. The horses are decorated with embroidered bridles, with tassels and metal bells hanging below the neck on either side. The lead figure on horseback is “Hadji”, Weeks’ head chavadar, or driver, captured with sunburnt face, patchy blue costume and Persian-style white cap and upturned slippers.

Weeks obviously intended this painting, with its finely-rendered, realistically-painted horses and riders, as a souvenir of his most difficult and dangerous expedition. In his early forties at the time, the overland trip was daily fraught with peril from mountains, deserts and bands of “brigands” as Weeks termed them. Cholera and typhoid fever were epidemic, and his American companion died from the latter en route. It is an understatement to say that Weeks was a bold adventurer as well as a gifted painter, and his intrepid travels are memorialized in this fine and rare painting.

This painting will be included in the Weeks catalogue raisonné under preparation by Dr. Ellen K. Morris. We are grateful to Dr. Morris for contributing this catalogue essay on the painting, A Letter of Authentication by Dr. Morris accompanies the painting.