Ludwig Deutsch

[Enzie Shahmiri]

I like the decorative, playful aspect of miniature paintings and admire the skill it took to get so much information on usually small pages of a book. This is Iranian Manusrcipt Paintings for you Sharon.

Sharon, there are many styles out there that I find nice, don't understand and try to find the best in them, but non stop me in my tracks as works such as these. It really comes down to what speaks to you as an individual as all our tastes and preferences are so different. Personally, when I see the skill it takes to not only handle the human form with such expertness, but also render clothing and setting in a way that becomes a visual feast of color, design and harmony, I am just in total awe. And if I may so so, I am getting really tired of the photo reference bashing!

Deutsch made three trips to Cairo and it is known that he employed photographers, to capture what he saw. He also collected a great amount of props during these trips and once back in Paris would hire models to pose for him. Based on this information, I conclude that he took the photos as reference to recreate the architectural settings and poses. Then he would dress up hired models and recreate the poses and paint from live. After having done numerous sketches to work out his composition, he would use the observed architectural settings in such a way that they emphasized his focal point. I don

[Enzie Shahmiri]

The Answer

signed and dated "L. Deutsch 1883" upper left
oil on panel
18 z 11 3/4 in (45.6X 29.8 cm)

This painting shows architectural influences from his first trip to Egypt in 1883, Damascus and the Ottoman Empire.

This work is a masterpiece in observation and execution. Deutsch painted with a hairline brush to capture every minute detail, weather it is on the body of the men, the garments, props or architectural elements. When compared to a smaller study for this work one can see that Deutsch has given much thought to improve the composion. He added visual interest by changing the pattern of the marble floor tiles from that of a rather heavy, two tone chess board pattern to a lighter diamond shape pattern. This change along with the light pattern on the stairs creates a light infused atmospere in the room.

He has taken artisitc liberties with the 17th century Syrian tiles behind the servant. These tiles would have been laid on the floor rather than on the wall.


"Ceramic tiles from Iznik, Diyarbakir and Damascus all depict flower scrolls, which are symbols in Islam for intellectual growth and God's continues presence in nature. Although large groupings of such scrolls produced by four, six, or eight tiles were repeated throughout even larger designs, individual tiles were not repeated in purely geometric patterns. The tile grouping, therefore appears to be based on a single tile that might have been in his private collection. Chritistie's Catalog Oct. 2001, P. 24


Ludwig Deutsch had collected many props on his travels and he used the in many of his paintings. Here a 18th Century Turkish tombak ewer and basin on a 19th Century mother of pearl table and a 19th Century indo Persian shield act as props to lighten up and add interest to the corner.

The main figure, the Chieftain wears a beautifully Salmon colored Balkan robe, which is greatly embellished with beads. The high contrast of the pale pinks against the dark skin of the figure just make him visually pop out from the muted dark background. Deutsch understood that in order to improve this painting the colors had to be more intense and required greater contrast.

[Sharon Knettell]

Enzie,

Thank-you for that beautiful miniature. It takes my breath away.

I am sorry if my antipathy for the over-rendered art of the past and present shows through. If he insprires you that is wonderful, he is an accomplished painter. Far better to emulate him than the careless and downright silly art of the late twentieth century.