(b Vienna, 1855; d Paris, 1935) Austrian Painter. After studying at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts from 1872 to 1875, Austrian-born Deutsch settled into the thriving art capital of Paris, where he joined his compatriot and fellow Orientalist painter Rudolf Ernst. Between 1879 and 1883, Deutsch exhibited portraits and genre scenes at the Salon. After 1883 he drew inspiration almost exclusively from his travels to Egypt. Deutsch was thought to have visited Egypt as many as five times between 1883 and 1904. These formative trips allowed him to gather subjects and motifs for his oeuvre.* In Paris he achieved great success in the 1890s with his highly detailed scenes of daily life in Egypt. The year 1900 marked the pinnacle of Deutsch's career, for he was awarded the gold medal at the Exposition Universelle for an Orientalist composition. Deutsch focused primarily on the depiction of Nubian figures, which became some of his most desired and popular images. Beginning in 1910, the artist painted scenes of everyday Egyptian life by the Nile in a free style and began to experiment with Post-Impressionism. Deutsch's late period typifies his shift away from academic tendencies in favor of a broader, more spontaneous manner. Ludwig Deutsch continued to paint until his death in Paris in 1935. (Credit: *Sotheby’s, New York, 19th Century European, April 24, 2009, Lot 14; Christie’s, London, 19th Century European, June 26, 2007, Lot 90; Christie’s, New York, 19th Century European, April 19, 2005, Lot 43; Christie’s, New York, 19th Century European and Orientalist, October 22, 2008, Lot 117)
Ludwig Deutsch (Vienne 1855-1935 Paris) Chèvres à Shobrah, Egypte signé 'L. Deutsch' (en bas à droite) huile sur toile signed 'L. Deutsch' (lower right) oil on canvas 50.7 x 61.2cm (19 15/16 x 24 1/8in).
Ludwig Deutsch, "Die Wassermelonenhändler" mit Melonen beladener Kahn bei Anlegen am Flussufer, aufwendige, nuancenreiche Farbradierung, um 1900, unter der Darstellung in Blei rechts signiert "L. Deutsch" und weitere Signatur, vermutlich vom Schöpfer der Vorlage, stark gebräunt, unter Passepartout und hinter Glas (gesprungen) gerahmt, Darstellungsmaße ca. 51 x 67 cm. Künstlerinfo: österr.-franz. Maler und Orientalist (1855 Wien bis 1935 Wien), studierte an der Akademie in Wien und bei J. P. Laurens in Paris, unternahm Studienreisen nach Ägypten, beschickt ab 1879 den Salon des Societe des Artistes Francaise, ab 1894 Ausstellung im Wiener Künstlerhaus, 1900 Goldmedaille auf der Pariser Akademieausstellung, tätig in Paris, Quelle: Thieme-Becker und Wikipedia. Ludwig Deutsch, "Die Wassermelonenhändler" A barge loaded with melons docking on the riverbank, elaborate, nuanced colour etching, around 1900, signed in pencil "L. Deutsch" and further signature below the image on the right, presumably by the creator of the original, heavily browned, matted and framed behind glass (cracked), dimensions approx. 51 x 67 cm. Artist info: Austrian-French painter and Orientalist. Painter and orientalist (1855 Vienna - 1935 Vienna), studied at the Academy in Vienna and under J. P. Laurens in Paris, travelled to Egypt, attended the Salon des Societe des Artistes Francaise from 1879, exhibited at the Vienna Künstlerhaus from 1894, gold medal at the Paris Academy exhibition in 1900, active in Paris, source: Thieme-Becker and Wikipedia.
Ludwig Deutsch, Austrian, 1855 to 1935, an Orientalist oil on oak panel painting depicting a portrait of an Arab man. Housed in a gilt wood and gesso frame richly decorated with Rococo motifs, bears a metal nameplate below the image. Note: Ludwig Deutsch was an Austrian painter who settled in Paris. Deutsch came from a well-established Jewish family; his father was a financier at the Austrian court. He studied at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts 1872-1875, then, in 1878, moved to Paris where he became strongly associated with Orientalism. He was on good terms with another Austrian Orientalist in Paris Rudolf Ernst. One of a kind artwork. European Fine Art. Portrait Paintings And Wall Decor Collectibles.
Deutsch, Ludwig . Female nude in an interior (Vienna 1855-1935 Paris) In a sparsely lit room at the window, looking through the curtain pushed aside into the greenery. Oil/wood. Signed upper left. 33 x 23.5 cm. // Deutsch, Ludwig Weiblicher Akt in Interieur (Wien 1855-1935 Paris) In spärlich beleuchtetem Raum am Fenster durch den beiseitegeschobenen Vorhang ins Grüne schauend. Öl/Holz. Links oben sign. 33 x 23,5 cm.
Artists signature printed in bottom left corner, Original painting created in Paris in 1895, Frame measures 41 1/2 x 29 1/2 inches, Print measures 36 x 24 inches.
Ludwig Deutsch Austrian 1855 - 1935 The Palace Guard signed L. Deutsch upper left oil on panel Unframed: 24 by 17cm., 9½ by 6¾in. Framed: 44.4 by 37cm., 17½ by 14½in.
LUDWIG DEUTSCH (1855-1935) PORTEUSE D'EAU ÉGYPTIENNE THE EGYPTIAN WATER CARRIER Huile sur panneau, signée en bas à gauche. 33 X 23,5 CM (13 X 9 1/4 IN.)
German, Ludwig — Interior with a female nude at the window (Vienna 1855-1935 Paris) Oil/wood. Signed upper left. 33 x 24 cm. // Deutsch, Ludwig — Interieur mit weiblichem Akt am Fenster — (Wien 1855-1935 Paris) Öl/Holz. Links oben sign. 33 x 24 cm.
Ludwig Deutsch (1855-1935), Young Oriental in profile, oil on wood 24 x 18cm, with frame 40 x 36 cm. | Ludwig Deutsch (1855-1935), Junger Orientale im Profil, Oel auf Holz, 24 x 18 cm, mit Rahmen 40 x 36 cm.
(1855 Wien - 1935 ebenda) Stehender weiblicher Akt im Boudoir Szenische Darstellung, bei welcher der Akt durch einen zur Seite geschobenen Vorhang in einen Garten blickt, während das diffuse, hereinfallende Licht und eine Lampe bei einigen der im Raum befindlichen Objekte strahlende, farbige Lichteffekte erzeugen. Durch sein Motiv herausragendes, wohl um 1920 entstandenes Werk des Künstlers, in dessen bekannten Oeuvres nur sehr wenige Aktbilder nachweisbar sind. Hierzu zählt eine auf 1920 datierte Version dieses Gemäldes mit in gleicher Pose stehendem Akt und dem gleichen Beistelltisch, die 2005 bei Sotheby's in London versteigert wurde. Deutsch besuchte die Wiener Akademie, lernte bei Anselm Feuerbach und Leopold Carl Müller; 1878 ging er nach Paris, wo er dauerhaft ansässig wurde und 1879 auf dem Salon debütierte. 1881 stellte er dort erstmals orientalische Motive aus und wurde einer der besten und erfolgreichsten Orientmaler seiner Zeit; ab 1885 bereiste er mehrfach Ägypten, was zur wichtigen Inspirations- und Motivquelle seiner Bilder wurde. 1919 erhielt Deutsch die französische Staatsbürgerschaft. Öl/Holztafel. L. o. sign.; 33 cm x 23,7 cm. Rahmen. Oil on panel. Signed.
Ludwig Deutsch (Austrian, 1855-1935) The Woodworker signed and dated 'L. Deutsch 1884' (upper right) oil on panel 40.8 x 28.6cm (16 1/16 x 11 1/4in). For further information on this lot please visit the Bonhams website
Ludwig Deutsch (Austrian, 1855-1935) Calling the Faithful signed and dated 'L. Deutsch Paris 1893' (lower right) oil on panel 49.5 x 31.7cm (19 1/2 x 12 1/2in). For further information on this lot please visit the Bonhams website
LUDWIG DEUTSCH (GERMAN 1855-1935)THE MARKET VENDOROil on canvas Stamped with artist's atelier stamp to stretcher verso60 x 72.5cm (23½ x 28½ in.)Provenance:Sale, Christie's, London, 15 June 2005, lot 55Purchased at the above sale by the present owner Born in Austria, Ludwig Deutsch settled in Paris and became a noted Orientalist artist.Capturing exquisite moments of quotidian human life, his work is often described as documented realism. The present work is possibly a preparatory study for the painting 'Le Marchand du Nil' exhibited at the Salon des Artistes in 1910. The painting appeared as an etching by Henri Lafort as part of a portfolio distributed to members of the French Society of Friends of the Arts. It was also engraved and coloured by Auguste Brouet.
Ludwig Deutsch (Austrian, 1855-1935) The Woodworker signed and dated 'L. Deutsch 1884' (upper right) oil on panel 40.8 x 28.6cm (16 1/16 x 11 1/4in). For further information on this lot please visit the Bonhams website
Ludwig Deutsch (Austrian, 1855-1935) A Dealer in Artefacts signed, inscribed and dated 'L Deutsch PARIS 1887' (upper left) oil on panel 40.6 x 28.3cm (16 x 11 1/8in). For further information on this lot please visit the Bonhams website
Ludwig Deutsch (Austrian, 1855-1935) The Performance signed, inscribed and dated 'L. Deutsch/PARIS 1885' (upper right) oil on panel 40.6 x 30.5cm (16 x 12in). For further information on this lot please visit the Bonhams website
Bedouin. Oil on wood. Signed lower left: L. Deutsch 217 x 129 cm. Provenance: Swiss private collection Beduine. Öl auf Holz. Unten links signiert: L. Deutsch. 217 x 129 cm. Provenienz: Schweizer Privatbesitz. RefSch22920 RefScu22920 RefPai22920
Bedouin. Oil on wood. Signed lower left: L. Deutsch 217 x 129 cm. Provenance: Swiss private collection Beduine. Öl auf Holz. Unten links signiert: L. Deutsch. 217 x 129 cm. Provenienz: Schweizer Privatbesitz. RefSch22920 RefScu22920 RefPai22920
Ludwig DEUTSCH (1855-1935) attribué à Intérieur de cour de palais Huile sur panneau. Non signée. 61 x 50 cm (très léger manque) Certificat de Lynn Thornton en date du 23 juillet 1990.
Ludwig DEUTSCH (1855-1935) attribué à Intérieur de cour de palais Huile sur panneau. Non signée. 61 x 50 cm (très léger manque) Certificat de Lynn Thornton en date du 23 juillet 1990.
LUDWIG DEUTSCH (1855 - 1935) Tobacco enjoyment. Oil on panel. Signed lower left: L. Deutsch. 217 x 129 cm. Provenance: Swiss private collection. The artist Ludwig Deutsch, born in Vienna in 1855, was a primarily in Paris working painter who focused on the style of Orientalism. After graduating from high school, he studied at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts under Anselm Feuerbach and Leopold Carl Müller, followed by studies at Jean-Paul Laurens in Paris. The friendship with the orientalist Rudolf Ernst inspired Deutsch to specialize in the oriental milieu. In 1886 and 1890 the artist made his first study trips to Egypt, during which he collected numerous sketches and photographs that - when he returned to his own Parisian studio - served as templates for his famous oil paintings. Der 1855 in Wien geborene Künstler Ludwig Deutsch war ein primär in Paris tätiger Maler, der sich dem Stil des Orientalismus zuwandte. Nach dem Abitur studierte er an der Wiener Akademie der bildenden Künste unter Anselm Feuerbach und Leopold Carl Müller, worauf ein Studium bei Jean-Paul Laurens in Paris folgte. Die Freundschaft zu dem Orientalisten Rudolf Ernst inspirierten Deutsch sich ebenfalls im orientalen Milieu zu spezialisieren. In den Jahren 1886 und 1890 unternahm der Künstler seine ersten Studienreisen nach Ägypten, auf denen er zahlreiche Skizzen und Fotografien sammelte, die ihm - wieder zurück in seinem eigenen Pariser Studio - als Vorlage für seine bekannten Ölbilder dienten. RefSch5320 RefPai5320
LUDWIG DEUTSCH (1855 - 1935) Tobacco enjoyment. Oil on panel. Signed lower left: L. Deutsch. 217 x 129 cm. Provenance: Swiss private collection. The artist Ludwig Deutsch, born in Vienna in 1855, was a primarily in Paris working painter who focused on the style of Orientalism. After graduating from high school, he studied at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts under Anselm Feuerbach and Leopold Carl Müller, followed by studies at Jean-Paul Laurens in Paris. The friendship with the orientalist Rudolf Ernst inspired Deutsch to specialize in the oriental milieu. In 1886 and 1890 the artist made his first study trips to Egypt, during which he collected numerous sketches and photographs that - when he returned to his own Parisian studio - served as templates for his famous oil paintings. Der 1855 in Wien geborene Künstler Ludwig Deutsch war ein primär in Paris tätiger Maler, der sich dem Stil des Orientalismus zuwandte. Nach dem Abitur studierte er an der Wiener Akademie der bildenden Künste unter Anselm Feuerbach und Leopold Carl Müller, worauf ein Studium bei Jean-Paul Laurens in Paris folgte. Die Freundschaft zu dem Orientalisten Rudolf Ernst inspirierten Deutsch sich ebenfalls im orientalen Milieu zu spezialisieren. In den Jahren 1886 und 1890 unternahm der Künstler seine ersten Studienreisen nach Ägypten, auf denen er zahlreiche Skizzen und Fotografien sammelte, die ihm - wieder zurück in seinem eigenen Pariser Studio - als Vorlage für seine bekannten Ölbilder dienten. RefSch5320 RefPai5320
Ludwig Deutsch (Austrian, 1855-1935), Eid al-Fitr (Breaking the Fast), 1902, oil on canvas, signed, dated and inscribed "Le Caire (Cairo)" lower left, canvas: 45.25"h x 62.5"w, overall (with frame): 50.5"h x 68"w
Ludwig DEUTSCH (1855 - 1935) Les marchands de pastèque Lithographie en couleurs H. à la cuvette :56 x 69 cm Signé dans la marge en bas à droite L Deutsch Numéroté en bas à gauche N° 31
ƒ LUDWIG DEUTSCH (1855-1935) CHÈVRES À SHOBRAH, ÉGYPTE GOATS IN SHOBRAH, EGYPT Huile sur toile, signée en bas à droite. 50 X 60 CM (20 X 24 IN.) €12,000-18,000
TABLEAU ORIENTALISTE "PORTRAIT EN BUSTE D'HOMME JEUNE AU TURBAN" DE Ludwig DEUTSCH (1855-1935) Huile sur panneau, signée "L. Deutsch et dédicacée "à Mr. Du Mesnil", encadrée. Restaurations d'usage et d'entretien. Etat d'usage (à nettoyer). Epoque XIXè-XXème siècle H : 32,5 x L : 25 cm
Ludwig Deutsch (Austrian, 1855-1935) The Goza Smoker signed and dated 'L. Deutsch 1884' (upper right)oil on panel41 x 29.8cm (16 1/8 x 11 3/4in). Provenance: M. Newman Ltd., London.Private collection, UK.Thence by descent.By the middle of the 1880s, Ludwig Deutsch had already established himself as one of Europe's pre-eminent Orientalist painters. The astonishing detail and crystal clarity of his Middle Eastern scenes, the result of first-hand observation and a studio in Paris filled with design books, photographs, and souvenirs of travel, became the hallmarks of his style, and a source of widespread admiration among his peers. In the present work, Deutsch turns his ethnographic eye to a familiar and enduring motif in Orientalist art, the Arab smoker in idle repose. Far from a transcript of reality, however, or merely another example of a popular theme, Deutsch's picture includes details that complicate its meaning and allude to the sophisticated artistry behind its composition.The man in Deutsch's painting wears a traditional striped qumbaz beneath a heavier outer robe. To those familiar with Deutsch's art, the appearance of these specific blue, red, and yellow-gold garments would not have been surprising, as they were repeated often in his oeuvre and may have been drawn from the artist's own collection of textiles and exotic goods. In his right hand, the man grasps a goza, or pipe, featuring a large brass bowl carved with Islamic designs. Built for portability and meant to be held rather than set upon the ground, this somewhat archaic form of Egyptian hookah is distinguished by a stiff bamboo stem rather than a flexible hose. The direct flow of smoke from bowl to mouth that this construction allows made it a particular favourite among smokers of tombiek, ajamy, and other traditional and fragrant tobaccos such as jurak and zaghloul, as well as among 19th century enthusiasts of hashish and stronger drugs. The man's posture here is relaxed and informal and his sideways stare is unfocused and blank. Lost in thought - or perhaps in the effects of the unspecified substance that he smokes – Deutsch has created an unlikely protagonist in this otherwise characteristic work, sprawled languidly upon his mashrabiyyah, or turned wood, throne. To the left of this lazing figure is a trio of cats, an unusual but significant addition to this Orientalist scene. Decades earlier, the British painter John Frederick Lewis had attracted considerable attention for the skilfully rendered felines he had added to his own Middle Eastern compositions, often to provocative effect. The influential art critic John Ruskin had alleged a commonality of spirit between Lewis's figures and their pets, and a mirroring of action and intent.1 Similarly, in Deutsch's work, the somnolent mood of the cats both reflects the lethargy of the smoker in his chair and provides a canny commentary on the incongruity of his post: Though ostensibly the guard of some kind of sacrosanct space, this glassy-eyed figure is no more effective a watchdog than the sleepy animals at his feet. The formidable doorway behind the Arab figure – likely the entrance to a private palace rather than a mosque or madrasa, given the man's apparently inebriated state - offers evidence of Deutsch's extensive use of well-known pattern books and popular prints. Here the reference may be to the architectural designs of Owen Jones or the numerous portals recorded by the great French artist and scholar Achille Prisse d'Avennes, a favorite resource of Deutsch's for his art (see The Qanun Player, lot no 63). Deutsch's eclectic personal library, in fact, is visible throughout his painted scenes. It is testament to his skill as an artist that the results are invariably so seamless and so real.We are grateful to Emily M. Weeks, Ph.D for compiling this catalogue entry. The work will be included in a critical catalogue of the Orientalist work of Ludwig Deutsch currently in preparation by Emily M. Weeks, Ph.D.1 In general by the 19th century, cats had attained a number of meanings in French and British iconography and were common additions to narrative paintings. For more on cats in Lewis's art specifically, see Emily M. Weeks, Cultures Crossed: John Frederick Lewis and the Art of Orientalism, New Haven and London, 2014, pp. 63, 64, 91-2, 94, 98, 102, 104, 196-7 no. 13, 197 no. 14, 197 no. 15.
Ludwig Deutsch (Austrian, 1855-1935) The Connoisseur signed and dated 'L. Deutsch 1894' (lower left)oil on panel61.2 x 42.4cm (24 1/8 x 16 11/16in). Provenance: M. Newman Ltd., London.Private collection, UK.Thence by descent.Despite the startling clarity of his pictures and a roster of confirmed honors, positions, and awards, much of Ludwig Deutsch's life remains elusive and obscure. Brought up in Vienna, he studied at the Akademie der Bildenden Künste before moving to Paris in 1878. There he befriended several Orientalist artists, including Arthur von Ferraris, Jean Discart, and his lifelong friend Rudolf Ernst. It is likely that he studied with the French history painter Jean-Paul Laurens prior to his participation in the Société des Artistes Français beginning in 1879; his other instructors and mentors, however, are unknown. Deutsch's first Orientalist works appeared in Paris in 1881, well before his travels to Egypt and the Middle East. (These took place in 1885, 1890, and 1898; it is possible he travelled to North Africa after 1900 as well.) His choice of subject matter - enormously popular at the time - may have been influenced by Jean-Léon Gérôme, whose celebrated Orientalist pictures and academic style closely mirror Deutsch's own. In 1898, Deutsch earned an honorable mention at the Société's annual Salon and, in 1900, he was awarded a gold medal at the Exposition Universelle. Later, having long been recognized as the undisputed leader of an entire school of Austrian Orientalist painting, he received the Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur. In 1919, Deutsch gained French citizenship and, after a brief absence from the public eye, began exhibiting again, this time under the name "Louis Deutsch" and in a far looser, post-Impressionist style.With no personal diaries, letters, or contemporary biography, and no surviving children, partner, or spouse, the gaps between these facts and figures cannot be confidently filled. By turning to his paintings, however, aspects of Deutsch's life begin slowly to be revealed. In the present work, for example, two definitive sources of Deutsch's artistic inspiration can be found, and a possible window into his private world may be glimpsed as well. The setting of the picture is based on a print by Achille Constant Théodore Émile Prisse d'Avennes (1807–1879), a French historian, archaeologist, and ethnologist, as well as a renowned draftsman and author. This would not be the last time that Deutsch referenced Prisse d'Avennes in his art, though the extent and literalness of this particular translation is rare.The physical properties of Deutsch's painting offer a second revelatory clue. Its glossy finish is due not only to Deutsch's precise touch, but to his increasing use of wooden panels, which (deliberately) gave to his pictures the jewel-like glow and polish of early Netherlandish and Northern Renaissance art. Deutsch's Austro-German heritage is here and subsequently acknowledged in his art, complicating his ex-patriotism in later years. Finally, there is in Deutsch's painting the promise of an autobiographical gloss as well. It is known that the artist frequented the photography studio of G. Lékégian in Cairo, and that he acquired hundreds of decorative objets while abroad. These souvenirs of travel furnished both his Paris studio at 11 rue Navarin and the Orientalist pictures he produced there and until his death in 1935. (The Talish carpet, stringed instrument, inlaid table and chest, and imported blue-and-white porcelain vase in this work, for example, were regularly featured in his art). One of his personal favourites was a brass tombak, or ewer, seen on the mantel here. Given this element of personalisation, it is hard not to imagine that the connoisseur of the picture's title is a surrogate for the artist who painted him, contemplating the next treasure to add to his carefully curated collection.We are grateful to Emily M. Weeks, Ph.D for compiling this catalogue entry. The work will be included in a critical catalogue of the Orientalist work of Ludwig Deutsch currently in preparation by Emily M. Weeks, Ph.D.
Ludwig Deutsch (Austrian, 1855-1935) The Qanun Player signed, inscribed and dated 'L. Deutsch PARIS 1903' (upper left)oil on panel77.5 x 53cm (30 1/2 x 20 7/8in). Provenance: M. Newman Ltd., London.Private collection, UK.Thence by descent.In The Qanun Player, Ludwig Deutsch creates a work that is both instantly familiar and entirely new. A bearded man, seated cross-legged upon a carpet on the floor, plays the qanun, a traditional stringed instrument indigenous to the Middle East. He is observed by a second Arab figure, leaning against an intricately patterned wall. The room itself is rich in ornamental detail, with colourful inlaid stonework, elaborate wooden carvings, and an enormous mashrabiyyah window, through which the soft glow of sunlight streams. The mood of Deutsch's picture is soothing and subdued; this is a different kind of Orientalism than what was offered by his peers, one in which drama and eroticism have no place.The setting of Deutsch's picture is significant, if not architecturally exact. Though European travellers had provided descriptions of domestic architecture in the Middle East by the early 18th century, serious study of the region's private buildings did not begin until the work of Napoleon's Scientific and Artistic Commission in Egypt in 1798, headed by Vivant Denon and Pascal Coste. The official findings of the Commission, called the Description de l'Égypte, were published in Paris between 1809 and 1828 in multiple, lavishly illustrated volumes (Paris: Imprimerie impériale). Egypt's modern culture was illustrated in two of the volumes (published circa 1809 and circa 1817), ten plates from which showed plans, elevations, and perspective views of houses in Cairo then occupied by the French. In Britain, Edward William Lane's An Account of the Manners and Customs of the Modern Egyptians (London, 1836) provided the first substantive discourse on Egypt's domestic architecture. Lane's text, illustrated by the author in black and white, was followed visually by the colourful renditions of James William Wild and, later, by the work of Frank Dillon, an artist and advocate for architectural preservation. Deutsch's rendition of the interior of this Cairene house draws from these traditions, while forging a new path as well.In addition to studying Cairo's architecture through the prints and texts cited above, Deutsch may have based his composition on various houses he knew first-hand. Traditional Mamluk or Ottoman houses were a particular favourite of European artists, who found the crumbling piles delightfully picturesque. Writing to a friend in 1870, Frederick Goodall related that he had 'decided to look for a house removed as far as possible from what is called the civilized quarters and was fortunate in finding, with the assistance of an old acquaintance the [?] Effendi, an old Arab house which, perfect in every detail with its rich latticed works, stained glass, inlaid doors and cupboards, affording capital backgrounds for figures, and from the roof a glorious panorama of the city . . . .' (Frederick Goodall to David Roberts, 4 November 1870, Bicknell Album of Artist Letters, Department of Rare Books and Archives, Yale Center for British Art, New Haven, CT). Rather than a transcript of reality, however, based on a single locale, the house in Deutsch's work appears to be a conflation of several that he visited during his time in Cairo, many of which have sadly since been destroyed.The qanun player in Deutsch's picture was a favourite model of the artist's in Paris and appears in other musically-oriented works from this time (see, for example The Mandolin ('Ood) Player of 1904, Shafik Gabr Collection). His regular occurrence is yet another reminder of the studio craftsmanship of Deutsch's "ethnographic" compositions, and the artistic liberties that he often took once his travels were over.We are grateful to Emily M. Weeks, Ph.D for compiling this catalogue entry. The work will be included in a critical catalogue of the Orientalist work of Ludwig Deutsch currently in preparation by Emily M. Weeks, Ph.D.
Ludwig Deutsch (Austrian, 1855-1935) The Performance signed, inscribed and dated 'L. Deutsch/PARIS 1885' (upper right)oil on panel 40.6 x 30.5cm (16 x 12in). Provenance: Arthur Tooth & Sons, Paris.M. Newman Ltd., London.Private collection, UK (acquired from the above 6 April 1970).Thence by descent.
Ludwig Deutsch (Austrian, 1855-1935) At the Mosque signed, inscribed and dated 'L. Deutsch PARIS 1895' (lower right)oil on panel60.3 x 39.4cm (23 3/4 x 15 1/2in). Provenance: Arthur Tooth & Sons, London.M. Newman Ltd., London.Private collection, UK (acquired from the above circa 1970).Thence by descent.
Ludwig Deutsch (Austrian, 1855-1935) Respect signed, inscribed and dated 'L. Deutsch PARIS 1902' (lower left) oil on panel 63.2 x 45.7cm (24 7/8 x 18in). Provenance: M Newman Ltd., London.Private collection, UK (acquired from the above circa 1970).Thence by descent.By the second half of the nineteenth century, Orientalism was at the height of its popularity. Nearly every country had established its own school of masters of the genre, with the French artist Jean-Léon Gérôme leading the way. In Austria, it was Ludwig Deutsch who was the acknowledged head. The nearly photographic precision and startling clarity of his academic style, learned, perhaps, from direct exposure to the works of Gérôme during his many years in Paris, and the immediate popularity of his paintings in the Salon and among private collectors around the globe, forms an ironic counterpoint to the mystery surrounding the artist himself. Indeed, with no personal diaries, family archives, or contemporary biographer, the details of Deutsch's life can only be determined from the subjects that he painted, and in particular from such compelling works as those presented here.Deutsch's artistic career began in Vienna in 1872, when he attended the Akademie der Bildenden Künste. He studied with Karl Meyer and, possibly, the history painter Anselm Feuerbach, between 1875 and 1877. The following year, Deutsch arrived in Paris – the centre for both academic and Orientalist studies at the time. Among the Austrian expatriate artists he befriended there were Johann Discart, Arthur von Ferraris, and Rudolf Ernst, with whom he would remain lifelong friends. A frequent exhibitor at the Paris Salon between 1879 and 1905, Deutsch would eventually maintain two studios, one in Paris and, in his final years, one in the south of France. In early works from this period, the influence of Deutsch's first Parisian teacher, Jean-Paul Laurens, is evident; indeed, the theatricality and sense of drama that characterize Laurens' best works were qualities that Deutsch would develop and transform into his own, remarkably modern, signature style. Though his earliest Orientalist subjects appeared in 1881, Deutsch's first documented journeys to the Middle East were made in 1885, 1890, and 1898, when he visited Egypt. Numerous awards and honours were bestowed upon him for the works that were produced as a result of these influential travels; these included Gold Medals at the 1892 Salon and the Exposition Universelle in Paris in 1900, and the Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur. By 1910, Deutsch's (somewhat controversial) experimentation with a looser, Post-Impressionist style had begun, and his palette had changed and brightened dramatically. He moved away from Paris at this time as well, possibly traveling to North Africa during the political turmoil of the First World War. After 1919, and having gained French citizenship, his works were again shown at the Paris Salon, now – and until his death on 9 April 1935 - under the sobriquet "Louis" Deutsch. Deutsch's identification with the French Orientalist tradition he had long participated in – and, arguably, nearly monopolized due to the sheer number of successful works he produced - was now, it seems, complete. The three paintings presented here – all produced at the height of Deutsch's career and sequestered in private collections from the time of their execution until their acclaimed reappearance today – are representative of the themes and stylistic qualities for which Deutsch was and remains best known. In The Performance (lot 43), signed and dated by Deutsch in Paris in 1885, the artist illustrates an African dancer, caught mid-step during his energetic routine. Deutsch's reliance on photography to achieve such hyper-realistic effects – he is known to have frequented the well-known studio of G. Lékégian in Cairo – is here evident, as is his extraordinary skill as an ethnographer. The cowry shells adorning the waist of the dancer would, as Deutsch knew from personal experience and his virtual library of literary references, have held special meaning in Egyptian culture, as a protective against the evil eye, and the distinctive hairstyle of the man would have immediately identified him as of Nubian origin. In addition to the Description de l'Egypte (1809-29) still widely available in Paris at this time, Deutsch also drew regularly from illustrated newspapers, Edward William Lane's iconic An Account of the Manners and Customs of the Modern Egyptians (London, 1836), Owen Jones's The Grammar of Ornament (London, 1856), and Georg Ebers' Egypt: Descriptive, Historical, and Picturesque, published in German in 1878 and illustrated by Deutsch's compatriot and acquaintance Leopold Carl Müller. The musician by the dancer's side is equally remarkable. The elaborate instrument he strums is an archaic Arabic simsimiyah or kisser, bedecked with ostrich feathers, amulets, and beads, and still used in Egypt today. Deutsch's appreciation of local music is made clear through several other pictures in his oeuvre, and may have been inspired by the revival of interest in Europe in historical music and, at the same time, in 17th and 18th century Dutch genre painting. So too, Deutsch may have been capitalizing on an established and popular theme among Orientalist painters, who often portrayed male and (more commonly) female performers in the midst of their mesmerizing routines.The composition of Deutsch's painting – with figures silhouetted against a detailed architectural facade – was one that would be repeated in various iterations throughout his prolific career. In At the Mosque (lot 42), a picture created in 1895 and which again features a musical instrument (in this case a small crook-necked saz or ood), this motif becomes all the more striking by virtue of a blue-and-white tiled wall. The mother-of-pearl inlaid chest and ornate brazier in Deutsch's painting, with its sinuous curve of smoke perfuming the air with the scents of oud (agarwood), gáwee (benzoin resin), and kishr ambar (cascarilla bark), were favourite vignettes of the artist, and two of what would eventually become hundreds of personal souvenirs collected abroad). The topmost border of blue-and-white tiles that Deutsch depicts are inspired by those at Al-Aqsunqur (Blue) Mosque in Cairo, which Deutsch saw and painted several times during the course of his visits to Egypt a few years before. Their glossy finish is due not only to Deutsch's precise touch, but to his regular use of wooden panels, which (deliberately) gave to his pictures the jewel-like glow and polish of early Netherlandish and Northern Renaissance art.The sentinel who leans against this decorative display may be regarded as the single most recognizable motif in Deutsch's art. During the 1890s and 1900s, Deutsch completed a series of these protective figures, all elaborately costumed and standing guard at entrances to marble palaces, harems, and other sacrosanct spaces. (The remarkable individualization of each of these men is indebted to the numerous figurative studies that Deutsch made abroad, and to a number of African and Arab models he employed around his studios in Paris). Though the entire Austrian school of Orientalists seems to have had a fascination for such scenes (Deutsch's close friend Ernst is a notable example), it was Deutsch who dominated the field and captured the public's attention. Indeed, even so adept a painter as Gérôme could not compete with Deutsch's barrage of textures and surfaces, his exquisitely rendered and highly informative records of specific weapons and garments (note here the elaborate gold brocade and intricate striping of the man's voluminous draperies and tailored qumbaz), or the palpability of the veins and skin of his subjects' muscled arms and hands. Deutsch's ability to suggest a narrative through the subtlest of compositional manoeuvres is also evident here: In the figure of the sentinel, the formidable barriers that faced those who sought to unlock the secrets of Middle Eastern life are seemingly embodied, as is, ironically, the potential accessibility of this world. Positioned at the interstice between wall and open chamber, and lulled by song and smoke, the viewer is presented less with an obstacle to overcome, than a point of entry too seductive to resist.Such subtle messaging is again demonstrated in Deutsch's Respect of 1902 (lot 41), a picture which, despite its having the cinematic quality of a modern movie still, possesses a compelling personal narrative as well. The setting itself was one Deutsch likely admired and sketched on site, though certain elements have been altered for aesthetic affect. Deutsch, like many Orientalist artists, regularly exercised his artistic liberties and was fond of collage and pastiche. True to Deutsch's penchant for detail, however, the inscriptions on either side of the door are written in legible Arabic, with verses from Chapter XV (al-Hijr) of the Koran. The picturesque ablaq stonework of the building is modelled after a doorway within the 14th century complex of Sultan Barquq - during the late nineteenth century, one of the most widely visited and photographed monuments on Cairo's maze-like streets. It is the brush of the young man's lips against the hand of the stately figure beside him, however, that alludes to Deutsch's own beliefs and preoccupations at the time. Having already confirmed his position as the premier painter of Arab guards, ethnographic types, and scenes of everyday Egyptian life, Deutsch embarked on a new theme in the late 1890s – that of the Arab literati and scholars of the Koran. Pensive images of letter-writers, scribes, and the 'ulama (specialists in Islam and Islamic law) abound in Deutsch's mature paintings, a reflection of both the importance that literacy had in the region since the reforms of the Egyptian Pasha Muhammad 'Ali, and his own, increasing familiarity with Koranic scripture and verse. Under the Pasha, printing presses were established at Alexandria and Cairo and newspapers circulated at an unprecedented rate. These advances in printing and translation during the 1820s and '30s succeeded in Egypt in raising literacy rates class- and gender-wide. As a leading figure in Orientalist painting for nearly two decades, and being more well-read and studied than most, Deutsch may have felt that the obligatory deference paid to the imams in this and others of these works was now owed to him as well. We are grateful to Emily M. Weeks, Ph.D for preparing the above introduction and for her assistance in cataloguing lots 41-43.
