Object Description
Large Orientalist painting of the banks of the Nile by H. Corrodi
Italian, Late 19th Century
Canvas: Height 66cm, width 126m
Frame: Height 98cm, width 158cm, depth 7cm
This beautiful Egyptian landscape scene is by the Italian artist Hermann Corrodi (1844-1905). Roman painter Corrodi was a renowned artist specialising in History and Orientalist scenes, who was highly popular during his day with elite clients such as Queen Victoria. His work is now housed in several important international collections, and this vista of the Nile from the Mayfair Gallery collection is a particularly fine example of his Orientalist work.
The painting depicts a bank on the Egyptian Nile, populated by groups of figures with their animals. The figures, engaged in various daily tasks, are dressed in typical Orientalist fashions, with their brightly coloured robes drawing the viewer’s eye. In the middle ground, various temples and buildings are shaded by verdant trees, whilst the towering Great Pyramids of Giza can be seen extending towards the horizon. Every element of the landscape, from the palm trees to the architecture, situates the viewer in the Egyptian setting.
The artist’s handling of light in this scene is particularly impressive, effectively casting a warm evening glow over the entire composition. Shades of orange and pink against the horizon fade into a pale blue at the top of the canvas, with the expansive sky dotted with wisps of cloud. The stunning evening light is skilfully reflected in the still water of the Nile below.
Surrounded by an elegant giltwood frame, the painting is signed in the lower lefthand corner ‘H. Corrodi. Roma’.
Immaculately rendered by a notable artist, this Orientalist scene could suit both a traditional and a modern interior.