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Lot Essay
Attracted to the vogue in Orientalist painting during his lifetime, Rosati dedicated himself almost exclusively to this growing genre. Having never traveled abroad, Rosati cleverly invented scenes not only through his observations of the work of his contemporaries but also through his meticulous imitation of Oriental carpets, costumes and other North African trinkets he found in Rome. His brilliantly colored harem and market scenes are among his most creative and technically skilled works.
In the present work, his close study of Turkish and Caucasian rugs is apparent. The largest one of the hanging rugs in the background is an important 16th Century Medallion Ushak of which a similar version of which is in the Islamic Museum, Istanbul. The smaller rug is a combination of a Turkish mihrab prayer rug with Caucasian borders and draped next to it is a large flat weave textile with red, white and blue stripes. On the floor is a beautiful example of an early 18th Century Ushak prayer rug decorated with cloud bands in the lower right corner. A Bedouin man, dressed in shades of blue textiles and seated on a smaller turn of the century south Caucasian carpet, is looking at the half naked woman with gold ankle bracelets also seated next to him. A woman, who has just removed her garment, stands on a late 19th Century Kirshehir prayer rug covering her face with embarrassment while the master of the house admires her beauty before finally purchasing her for his harem.
The composition is further filled with trinkets collected from the Orient. The 19th Century Turkish tombak buhurdanlik and the Turkish women's bath shoes inlaid with mother-of-pearl are displayed in the left foreground like a fine still life. The courtyard is bordered with richly colored Moroccan tiles and the doorway leading into the house recalls the architecture of the Alhambra.
In the present work, his close study of Turkish and Caucasian rugs is apparent. The largest one of the hanging rugs in the background is an important 16th Century Medallion Ushak of which a similar version of which is in the Islamic Museum, Istanbul. The smaller rug is a combination of a Turkish mihrab prayer rug with Caucasian borders and draped next to it is a large flat weave textile with red, white and blue stripes. On the floor is a beautiful example of an early 18th Century Ushak prayer rug decorated with cloud bands in the lower right corner. A Bedouin man, dressed in shades of blue textiles and seated on a smaller turn of the century south Caucasian carpet, is looking at the half naked woman with gold ankle bracelets also seated next to him. A woman, who has just removed her garment, stands on a late 19th Century Kirshehir prayer rug covering her face with embarrassment while the master of the house admires her beauty before finally purchasing her for his harem.
The composition is further filled with trinkets collected from the Orient. The 19th Century Turkish tombak buhurdanlik and the Turkish women's bath shoes inlaid with mother-of-pearl are displayed in the left foreground like a fine still life. The courtyard is bordered with richly colored Moroccan tiles and the doorway leading into the house recalls the architecture of the Alhambra.