Lot Essay
The Orientalist paintings of Fabio Fabbi combine something of the popular traditional techniques of academic painting with the modern liberalism and daring of the late Nineteenth Century. This was because, unlike the work of his predecessors, his were aimed at the private market. Executed with direct, rapid brushstrokes, A Lazy Afternoon on the Terrace epitomises the Nineteenth Century fascination with a unique and privileged view of a forbidden world of exotic harem beauties. Set against the stunning backdrop of the sea in the distance which emphasises the languid charm of these beautiful women waiting for their next visitor, it is one of Fabio Fabbi's most beautifully detailed and impressive works.