Object Description
Orientalist oil painting of Bedouins in a desert by Alphons Leopold Mielich
Austrian, c.1900
Canvas: Height 68cm, width 111cm
Frame: Height 79cm, width 121cm, depth 4cm
Painted by the famous Orientalist painter Alphons Leopold Mielich (1863-1929), this outstanding oil painting depicts a charming family scene of Bedouins in the desert. Mielich is renowned for his Orientalist paintings which are heavily inspired by his travels throughout the Orient.
The painting depicts a family of three including a mother, a father, and a child. The father dressed in clothing in shades of blue, pink and cream is lovingly looking at his young child. His head is adorned with a yellow head covering, similar in colour to his shoes. The mother is standing facing both figures holding a bowl. Painted wearing a black garment makes her brightly coloured head covering stand out.
In the background, Mielich painted a Bedouin ten made up of various fabrics all held in place by rope and secured to heavy bags. Around the tent, the possessions of the family are spread, showcasing a still from the family’s nomadic life. The use of darker and bolder colours to depict the main subjects makes them stand out against the pale brown of the desert and the clear blue sky.
The painting is signed in the low right ‘Alphonse Mielich’ and framed in a carved giltwood frame.
Beautifully painted and depicting a charming family scene, the painting is a representation of some of Mielich’s best work and would make a superb addition to one’s interior space.