Object Description
Orientalist antique watercolour painting of a woman dressing, A. Fabbi
Italian, 19th Century
Panel: Height 40cm, width 25cm
Frame: Height 60cm, width 45cm, depth 6cm
This sensitive watercolour painting by Alberto Fabbi (1858-1906) depicts a seated woman being attended to by two female servants.
All three women wear typical Orientalist fabrics, and the vibrant colours and patterns as well as the naturalistic drapery highlight Fabbi’s skill at the watercolour medium. A sense of calm pervades the scene, as the seated woman gazes at herself in the mirror with her eyes half-closed. By placing the dressing scene outside, Fabbi conjures up the balmy atmosphere of the distant ‘Orient’ for Western viewers. The sense of exoticism is aided by the background elements, with the flower garlands, patterned urn, canopy, and geometric architecture all acting as additional Orientalist signifiers.
The painting is signed ‘A. Fabbi’ in the lower right, and sits inside a beautifully carved giltwood frame. Hailing from Bologna, Fabbi is known for his Orientalist watercolours like this piece, and exhibited frequently at fine art exhibitions in Italy. He is the brother of the artist Fabio Fabbi, who is renowned for his works of a similar style and subject.
With its pastel colours and sweet feminine subjects, this watercolour would make a wonderful piece for any collector of Orientalist antiques.