Rudolph Ernst (Austrian, 1854-1932)

Ernst's extremely original and eclectic approach to the depiction of Eastern settings is perfectly displayed in the present painting. Preparing the Hookah is, in fact, a very accomplished example of Ernst's pictorial contaminatio. By virtue of his subtle sensitivity to detail, the painter is capable of harmoniously mixing styles and iconographies from both East and West, especially from the different countries of the Mediterranean Basin.

The master and servant are depicted in a sumptuous interior, which allows that artist to demonstrate his virtuosity in the handling of the different textures of the hard, pink-hued marble, the fur of the lion-skin rug, the texture of the Oriental carpet covering the table and the velvet of the smoker's robes.