Carl Friedrich Heinrich Werner, Two Men Talking in Front of the Süleymaniye Mosque in Istanbul, 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 / Istanbul”

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

– Old Austrian private collection, Vienna, since at least the 1950s
– Preserved together with its pendant work until the late 20th century
– Rediscovered in the Viennese art trade in 2025 This piece has an attribution mark,
I am sure that it is completely authentic and take full responsibility for any authenticity
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