Carl Friedrich Heinrich Werner, Two Oriental Figures, 1800s, Pencil and Watercolor, Framed

Details

Description

Title:

Carl Friedrich Heinrich Werner (Weimar 1808 – 1894 Leipzig)

“Two Oriental Figures Standing in Conversation (Istanbul)”
Watercolor over pencil … Read more Title:

Carl Friedrich Heinrich Werner (Weimar 1808 – 1894 Leipzig)

“Two Oriental Figures Standing in Conversation (Istanbul)”
Watercolor over pencil on wove paper
Signed and inscribed at lower left in pencil: “C. Werner / Constantinopel”

Image size: approx. 41 × 27 cm
Overall size with original gilt mat strip of the artist: approx. 60 × 44 cm
Original 19th-century gilded frame; verso with old mounting paper




A highly atmospheric Orientalist genre scene by Carl Friedrich Heinrich Werner, conceived as a pendant to the companion Istanbul watercolor. The composition shows two elderly oriental figures standing in quiet conversation on a sunlit street, likely in Istanbul. The man on the left, wearing a white turban with red cap and a long dark vest over a light robe, supports himself on a walking stick. His companion, wrapped in a voluminous white headscarf and dark robe, listens attentively, slightly turned away, creating a restrained yet expressive dialogue between the figures.

Behind them unfolds a subtly indicated urban setting with wooden Ottoman houses, market structures, and additional small staffage figures, rendered with Werner’s characteristic economy and precision. The scene conveys a contemplative, almost intimate mood, contrasting gently with the more animated architectural backdrop of the pendant piece.

The watercolor exemplifies Werner’s mature style: confident and fluid brushwork combined with a firm underlying drawing, masterful handling of light, and an understated yet harmonious color palette dominated by warm ochres, soft greys, and muted blues. Particularly noteworthy is the sensitive rendering of fabrics and the expressive characterization of age and posture.

Condition: very good to excellent. Colors well preserved and fresh; slight age-related paper toning and minimal surface wear consistent with age. No significant losses or restorations visible.


Provenance:
Formerly in a European private collection; acquired on the Vienna antiques market (Austria). The object has been in Europe for several decades.


Literature & Comparables

Comparable Orientalist figure studies and Istanbul street scenes by Werner from the 1870s–1880s are held in public and private collections and have appeared regularly at major European auctions. Works of similar scale and quality have realized prices between €5,000 and €15,000 over the past two decades.


Remarks

This watercolor forms a pendant to “Two Gentlemen in Conversation in Front of the Süleymaniye Mosque, Istanbul”. While conceived as a pair, each work is fully autonomous in composition and quality and may be offered individually. Together, they represent an especially fine example of Werner’s Orientalist figure painting at the height of his artistic maturity\. This piece has an attribution mark,
I am sure that it is completely authentic and take full responsibility for any authenticity
issues arising from misattribution See less