Osman Hamdi Bey (Turkish, 1842-1910) Young Woman Reading signed and dated 'OHamdy Bey. 1880.' (centre left) oil on canvas 41.1 x 51cm (16 3/16 x 20 1/16in). Fußnoten Provenance Anon. sale, Sotheby's, London, 14 April 1976, lot 22. Private collection, UK (acquired from the above sale). Thence by descent. Literature Mustafa Cezar, Sanatta Batı'ya Açılış ve Osman Hamdi, Istanbul, 1995, Vol. II (illustrated p. 669, titled Kuran okuyan kiz). The kaleidoscopic nature of Osman Hamdi's biography – he was, at various times, a bureaucrat, archaeologist, museum director, architect, poet, writer, and musician - and his prominent position in both late 19th century French and Ottoman intellectual circles have made him a controversial symbol of Turkish nationalism and cultural reform in recent years. In his capacity as an Orientalist painter, moreover, he has long been considered a curiosity within the genre. Too Turkish for some, too French for others, Osman Hamdi and his works have been framed by the politics of these debates. Singled out for particular attention have been the artist's harem pictures, featuring one or more women engaged in their daily indoor and outdoor pursuits. Interpreted as both pointed commentaries on misconceptions about the harem institution in the West and dependable documents from an "insider" from the East, the actual details of these compositions have often been ignored. By returning to their subject matter and the contexts of their origins, and setting trending theories to the side, a more historical and informational understanding of these pictures can be achieved. As one of the earliest yet most representative of these harem images, Young Woman Reading of 1880 provides a particularly important and revealing case in point.1 Young Woman Reading, known more commonly as Young Girl Reading the Qur'an, displays many of the qualities for which Osman Hamdi became best known.2 The impeccably rendered dress of the kneeling figure and the decorative background against which she is set, rich in colour and Islamic designs, are virtual signatures of the artist, as is the startling clarity of the picture's highly detailed style. The precision of its surface, however, masks significant ambiguities at its core: The book that the woman has chosen, the direction of her gaze, and even the parting of her lips and the buttons at her neck, all serve to undermine our first impressions of the scene. What begins as a pretty harem picture, in other words, becomes a complicated and multi-referential text which addresses a variety of topical issues within the landscapes of Orientalism, 19th century art history, and aspects of the artist's biography itself. Through its transposition of British, French, and Turkish models, and its manipulation of their themes, Young Woman Reading demonstrates the unique nature of Osman Hamdi's Orientalism, and his artful game. Osman Hamdi's artistic education began in Paris in the early 1860s, in the studio of Gustave Boulanger and under the probable influence of Jean-Léon Gérôme whose art and presence as a teacher dominated the Parisian art world at the time. (One of the first Ottoman artists to bridge the artistic worlds of Turkey and France and to adopt the École's academic figurative style, Osman Hamdi modelled for Boulanger before formally enrolling as a student in his atelier).3 The impact of both of these masters is evident in the style and subject matter of Osman Hamdi's pictures, which mirror, in many respects, the Orientalist subjects that were so successful in Europe at the time (fig 1).4 In the 1880s, the artist embarked on a series of harem pictures, one of the most popular and alluring of these themes. The mood and inhabitants of these storied spaces, however, in Osman Hamdi's hands, were significantly and meaningfully transformed. In Young Woman Reading, the familiar eroticism of the harem has been tempered by the buttoned-up façade of the female figure and her compact, self-contained pose.
Osman Hamdi Bey (Turkish, 1842-1910) Young Woman Reading signed and dated 'OHamdy Bey. 1880.' (centre left) oil on canvas 41.1 x 51cm (16 3/16 x 20 1/16in). Fußnoten Provenance Anon. sale, Sotheby's, London, 14 April 1976, lot 22. Private collection, UK (acquired from the above sale). Thence by descent. Literature Mustafa Cezar, Sanatta Batı'ya Açılış ve Osman Hamdi, Istanbul, 1995, Vol. II (illustrated p. 669, titled Kuran okuyan kiz). The kaleidoscopic nature of Osman Hamdi's biography – he was, at various times, a bureaucrat, archaeologist, museum director, architect, poet, writer, and musician - and his prominent position in both late 19th century French and Ottoman intellectual circles have made him a controversial symbol of Turkish nationalism and cultural reform in recent years. In his capacity as an Orientalist painter, moreover, he has long been considered a curiosity within the genre. Too Turkish for some, too French for others, Osman Hamdi and his works have been framed by the politics of these debates. Singled out for particular attention have been the artist's harem pictures, featuring one or more women engaged in their daily indoor and outdoor pursuits. Interpreted as both pointed commentaries on misconceptions about the harem institution in the West and dependable documents from an "insider" from the East, the actual details of these compositions have often been ignored. By returning to their subject matter and the contexts of their origins, and setting trending theories to the side, a more historical and informational understanding of these pictures can be achieved. As one of the earliest yet most representative of these harem images, Young Woman Reading of 1880 provides a particularly important and revealing case in point.1 Young Woman Reading, known more commonly as Young Girl Reading the Qur'an, displays many of the qualities for which Osman Hamdi became best known.2 The impeccably rendered dress of the kneeling figure and the decorative background against which she is set, rich in colour and Islamic designs, are virtual signatures of the artist, as is the startling clarity of the picture's highly detailed style. The precision of its surface, however, masks significant ambiguities at its core: The book that the woman has chosen, the direction of her gaze, and even the parting of her lips and the buttons at her neck, all serve to undermine our first impressions of the scene. What begins as a pretty harem picture, in other words, becomes a complicated and multi-referential text which addresses a variety of topical issues within the landscapes of Orientalism, 19th century art history, and aspects of the artist's biography itself. Through its transposition of British, French, and Turkish models, and its manipulation of their themes, Young Woman Reading demonstrates the unique nature of Osman Hamdi's Orientalism, and his artful game. Osman Hamdi's artistic education began in Paris in the early 1860s, in the studio of Gustave Boulanger and under the probable influence of Jean-Léon Gérôme whose art and presence as a teacher dominated the Parisian art world at the time. (One of the first Ottoman artists to bridge the artistic worlds of Turkey and France and to adopt the École's academic figurative style, Osman Hamdi modelled for Boulanger before formally enrolling as a student in his atelier).3 The impact of both of these masters is evident in the style and subject matter of Osman Hamdi's pictures, which mirror, in many respects, the Orientalist subjects that were so successful in Europe at the time (fig 1).4 In the 1880s, the artist embarked on a series of harem pictures, one of the most popular and alluring of these themes. The mood and inhabitants of these storied spaces, however, in Osman Hamdi's hands, were significantly and meaningfully transformed. In Young Woman Reading, the familiar eroticism of the harem has been tempered by the buttoned-up façade of the female figure and her compact, self-contained pose.
Try LotSearch and its premium features for 7 days - without any costs!
Be notified automatically about new items in upcoming auctions.
Create an alert
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
