JEAN DISCART (French, b. 1856) A Very Fine French 19th Century Orientalist Oil on Panel Painting of "A Noth African Merchant", Signed (l/r) J. Discart, Paris.
Provenance:
Alex Fraser Gallery, Vancouver
The Estate of Clarence Saba, Vancouver
Panel Height: 13 inches (33 cm)
Panel Width: 8 inches (20.3 cm)
Ref.: A1641
Jean Discart was born in the Italian city of Modena in 1856 and in 1873, at the age of seventeen, he enrolled in a history painting course at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts taught by the famous German classical painter Anselm Feuerbach. After Feuerbach retired from the Academy, Discart and his fellow students Ludwig Deutsch (see lot 7) and Carl Merode applied to study under Leopold Carl Müller, who was made professor of the Academy following Feuerbach. They were refused admittance into Müller's class, which prompted Discart and Deutsch to travel to Paris (though Discart was admitted to Müller's class the next year). Discart's career is an interesting combination of these two influences: his classical training in Vienna under such revered master-painters, and his experiences with his contemporaries in the cosmopolitan Paris art world. He first exhibited at the Paris Salon in 1884 and painted Orientalist subjects through the 1920s, but otherwise there is very little record of his career.
In A North African Merchant, Discart depicts a vendor in a red fez and striped kaftan calling out to the crowd as he holds an engraved Mamluk style basin full of various objects. His wares include a late Indian or Qajar Iranian helmet, a small pear-shaped stringed instrument called an Oud, and three swords, including one with a flared ivory grip called a yataghan. His basin rests on a Syrian mother-of-pearl table and an overturned brass ewer lies at his feet.
Discart's skill in capturing detail is remarkable; he effectively manipulates the paint and brushstrokes to render various textures, much like his contemporary Deutsch. The exacting detail in the sword's inlaid coral and engraved handles; the pearly sheen of the Ottoman table; the fine cracks in the glazed turquoise tilework on the wall; Discart attempts to recreate each object's individual physical qualities and imbue the scene with a compelling authenticity.
Most recent sales:
Christie's London, Sale 7865 on 15 June 2010, Lot 27 "A Harem Guard" Sold for £181,250 ($266,619)
Condition Report*:
This painting on panel is in beautiful condition. The panel is made from a single piece of dark wood which is flat and stable. The paint layer has cracked slightly during drying.
In the upper right there are a few tiny retouches which have been applied to diminish this cracking. Elsewhere the retouches are confined to a few spots around the edges and a few extremely small spots within the figure. However these are all very minor details to a picture which is overall in beautiful state.
*: This condition report is offered without warranty by Jan's & Co. Fine Art and Antiques, Inc. Prospective buyers should obtain their own independent condition report prior to purchase.
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