Studio RT Ltd

Description

We are offering for sale this large oil on canvas, which is after the original by Gustav Bauernfeind. The original was entitled 'Warden of the Mosque, Damascus' and was painted in 1891. The painting depicts the warden of the mosque, seated cross legged upon a mat on a low, stone bench, wearing robes and a turban. The mosaic decorated arched doorway to the inner courtyard of the mosque, with its partially opened ornate doors, offers a glimpse of the fountain and marble column and carpets within, where several figures are washing, reading or praying. The shoes of the faithful are resting on the cobbled floor next to the warden and there is a platter with plums and little cakes on the stone bench to the left. Next to the warden are some weapons deposited there by berbers on their entrance to the mosque.

Gustav Bauernfeind (1848-1904, was a German artist of Jewish origins, who was born in Sulz am Necker in Germany in 1848. He studied architecture and painting in Stuttgart and was considered Germany's finest orientalist painter and his large orientalist paintings now achieve several million pounds. The way the artist described the scene that he painted in 1891 is set out in a letter which we copy below:

"Between the various stalls of a covered bazaar street whose mythical twilight is more favorable for the seller than the buyer, there opens out a small side entrance of a mosque, inviting the faithful to its luminous court and playing fountain. The muezzin has called the hour of prayer, and some people followed the call. They put their shoes, weapons, and other burdens under the care of the warden. The red top-boots and easy sandals which are worn in the interior of Arabia as well as the long guns and divers arms ( yataghan, carbine, etc.), show us that some Bedouins have made use of their stay in town to pray at the shrine of a hero of Yore. Some two or three inhabitants of the neighborhood of Damascus, in their many-colored cloaks, divested themselves at the threshold of their clumsy shoes, whilst a seller of lemonade has set down his glass jar on a bench a lemon is stuck on the peculiar brass mouthpiece of the former. On a platter we see some flat bread cakes strewn with sesame and rings also plums, whose home is said to be Damascus. The owner of these goodies has a little portable table, which is now standing near the wing of the door. A black scholar squats on the floor, near the entrance, zealously reading the Koran whilst his hands play with a rosary. His many-colored coat is ornamented with holy writings. At the fountain a belated dervish is just beginning his ablutions. The niche for prayer is at the right hand of the marble pillar, whilst to the left is the grave of the saint, with his weapons, his large rosary, tambourine and the horn of an ibex. All these implements are carried about in procession to the diverse graves of the saints. A leader in prayer stands high up, whilst behind him the devout follow him at various paces of quickness. The lanterns consist from a frame work of wood or metal, from which one or more glasses are suspended these contain water and oil to feed the wick"

The original painting measured 43" x 34" and was oil on canvas laid on board. It was up for sale at Christie's in New York in 2001 for approximately £500,000.

The painting is framed in a 3 1/2" gilt frame with linen insert and painted slip which suits it very well. It will be supplied wired and ready to hang.

Image size: 35 3/8" x 23 3/8" - 89.85cm x 59.35cm

Frame size: 42 5/8" x 30 5/8" - 108.25cm x 77.8cm

Medium: Oils on canvas

Condition: Very good condition. The frame is in good condition.