OIL PAINTING: After Prayer
Rudolf Ernst is one of the most well-known of the Austrian school of Orientalists. In 1877 Ernst moved to Paris where he set up a studio and took French nationality. Ernst was greatly influenced by the French Orientalist Jean- Leon Gerome, whose rich glossy colours and photographic realism are evident in his work. After a trip to Spain and Morocco he began painting almost exclusively Orientalist scenes ( After Prayer, Standing Guard, The Reader, Favorite of the Farm ). Favourite subjects included Nubian guards, harem scenes, richly decorated mosque interiors, nargilah smokers, street scenes and even tiger hunts.