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Rudolf Ernst
1854-1932 | Austrian
Praying for Victory
Signed “R. Ernst” (lower left)
Oil on panel
Austro-French Orientalist painter Rudolf Ernst showcases his virtuoso for the genre in this skillfully executed oil on panel, entitled Praying for Victory. Few artists have captured the mystique and opulence of the Near East as expertly as Ernst, and his mesmerizing, jewel-like works capture the vibrant cultures and rich narratives of faraway locales.
Praying for Victory transports the viewer into a grand interior reminiscent of the monumental Alhambra Palace in Granada. A sumptuously dressed figure stands in silence in front of his armor and weapons, wishing for success in an upcoming battle. His wealth and high status are clearly indicated by his elaborately draped garments, including the deep red and gold-embroidered abaya. Evoking emotion through meticulous detail and atmosphere, Ernst perfectly captures the symbols of a warrior’s resolve and the weighty significance of the moment.
Ernst was born in Vienna to architectural painter Leopold Ernst. He began his artistic training at the Vienna Academy before settling in France, where he began exhibiting his paintings at the Salon des Artistes Français. Ernst first became interested in Orientalist themes in the 1880s following his travels through Moorish Spain, Constantinople, Tunis, Egypt and Morocco. He was enamored with the cultures and aesthetics of these destinations, incorporating them into his artworks and his personal life. He decorated his home in Fontenay-aux-Roses, France in the Ottoman taste and is even said to have painted while wearing a tarboosh, an Eastern tasseled cap. During his lifetime, Ernst created works for many high-profile patrons in France and especially in Turkey, and today his works belong to prestigious institutions such as the Dahesh Museum of Art in New York and the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.
Late 19th Century
Panel: 31 1/4" high x 24 1/4" wide (108.59 x 90.17 cm)
Frame: 42 3/4" high x 35 1/2" wide x 3" deep (79.38 x 61.60 x 7.62 cm)
Provenance:
Private Collection, California, since 1985
M.S. Rau, New Orleans
Private collection, California
M.S. Rau, New Orleans
Praying for Victory by Rudolf Ernst
$398,500.00
Sale price
$398,500.00
Regular price
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Details
1854-1932 | Austrian
Praying for Victory
Signed “R. Ernst” (lower left)
Oil on panel
Austro-French Orientalist painter Rudolf Ernst showcases his virtuoso for the genre in this skillfully executed oil on panel, entitled Praying for Victory. Few artists have captured the mystique and opulence of the Near East as expertly as Ernst, and his mesmerizing, jewel-like works capture the vibrant cultures and rich narratives of faraway locales.
Praying for Victory transports the viewer into a grand interior reminiscent of the monumental Alhambra Palace in Granada. A sumptuously dressed figure stands in silence in front of his armor and weapons, wishing for success in an upcoming battle. His wealth and high status are clearly indicated by his elaborately draped garments, including the deep red and gold-embroidered abaya. Evoking emotion through meticulous detail and atmosphere, Ernst perfectly captures the symbols of a warrior’s resolve and the weighty significance of the moment.
Ernst was born in Vienna to architectural painter Leopold Ernst. He began his artistic training at the Vienna Academy before settling in France, where he began exhibiting his paintings at the Salon des Artistes Français. Ernst first became interested in Orientalist themes in the 1880s following his travels through Moorish Spain, Constantinople, Tunis, Egypt and Morocco. He was enamored with the cultures and aesthetics of these destinations, incorporating them into his artworks and his personal life. He decorated his home in Fontenay-aux-Roses, France in the Ottoman taste and is even said to have painted while wearing a tarboosh, an Eastern tasseled cap. During his lifetime, Ernst created works for many high-profile patrons in France and especially in Turkey, and today his works belong to prestigious institutions such as the Dahesh Museum of Art in New York and the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.
Late 19th Century
Panel: 31 1/4" high x 24 1/4" wide (108.59 x 90.17 cm)
Frame: 42 3/4" high x 35 1/2" wide x 3" deep (79.38 x 61.60 x 7.62 cm)
Provenance:
Private Collection, California, since 1985
M.S. Rau, New Orleans
Private collection, California
M.S. Rau, New Orleans
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