African Venus by Frank Buchser

Naked Slave with Tambourine (1880)

Agent Triple P is off to Africa for a week, tomorrow, so here is a painting of an African slave girl by Swiss artist Frank (born Franz) Buchser (1828-1890).  Buchser was born near Solothurn and at the age of eighteen was apprenticed to a piano builder, until he was discovered in bed with the piano builder's daughter.  He remained a  great womaniser.

He left Switzerland for Rome where he served as a Swiss Guard at the Vatican to fund his art studies.  He briefly served in Garibaldi's army in 1848.   In the next five years he studied art in Paris, Antwerp and Spain, where his art was really appreciated for the first time.

Spanish gypsy girl with mirror

.In 1858 he travelled to Morocco; a visit which would inspire him to paint some orientalist paintings like the African slave as well as some more conventional scenes where, as ever, he was particularly good at capturing light,

The sadness of Ireland

He spent some time in England and from 1866 to 1879 lived in America, when the Swiss government commissioned him to paint a memorial painting on the subject of the American Civil War (Switzerland had also recently had a civil war).  The painting was never completed but he painted portraits of Grant, Sherman and the last painting done from life of Robert E Lee.   He also painted some striking pictures of the American plains.

This African Slave now hangs in the Kunstmuseum in his home town of Solothurn, along with 80 of his other paintings.

More posts when I return...

Harem Venus: A favourite odalisque by Fabbio Fabbi

As I continue to replace some of my old  posts on the former Venus Observations site I am going through a period when I was featuring a lot of harem Venuses.  This very fine example is by by Italian orientalist painter Fabio Fabbi (1861-1946).  It's a strong composition with the pale body of the girl forming one diagonal of the basically St Andrew's cross shaped composition and the dark space the other diagonal: her hip and lower trunk forming the centre of the composition.  She is a confident looking lady, well aware of her position as favourite!

Fabbi was born in Bologna and studied both painting and sculpture in Florence.  In the first half or the 1880s he travelled to Paris and Munich.  It was his visit to Egypt in 1886 which really effected him, however, and on his return to Italy he painted many orientalist subjects and was particularly adept at catching the movement of dancing girls.  

He was commercially very successful and painted many orientalist themed pictures.   Most of his orientalist women are dressed but he produced a few nude odalisque paintings as well as some 'slave for sale' type pictures, which we shall look at shortly.

Harem Venus: The Harem Beauty by Francisco Masriera y Manovens

The Harem Beauty (1889)

This confident looking harem lovely is the work of Catalonian artist, writer and goldsmith Francisco Masriera y Manovens (1842-1902).  He first studied under his father, a silversmith, in Barcelona at the age of thirteen. Between 1862 and 1870 he made several trips to Paris, Rome, London and Geneva. By the age of 31 he had his own studio back in Barcelona.

He was a commercially successful painter, alternating between lucrative portraits, genre painting and orientalism; although unlike some other painters of the time he didn't actually travel to the Middle East or North Africa.

He continued with his interest in silver and gold working and a decorative vase he designed won a silver medal at the Paris Exposition of 1889.

Odalisque Venus 2: by Frederick Vezin

Here is another odalisque (also known as Schleier Tanzerin (Veil Dancer), this time by the American painter Frederick Vezin (1859-1933).  Vezin was born in that most artistic of American cities, Philadelphia, where Triple P spent an enjoyable week a few years ago.

He studied at the Düsseldorf Art Academy in Germany and died there in 1933. The Düsseldorf School influenced the American Hudson River school and, as a result, many other American painters went to study there.  Vezin's family were originally French Huguenots and some of them fled France for Germany, settling in Hanover.  Another branch of the family, who had stayed in France, moved from Bordeaux to Philadelphia in 1813.  The family connections with Germany made it easy for Vezin, when he wanted to study in that country and he joined the Düsseldorfer Kunstakademie in 1876.  Apart from a short stay in Münich, he lived in Düsseldorf until his death.  His uncle lived in London and Vezin travelled there and did a painting of Henley Regatta. 

Most famous for his landscapes, portraits and interiors, this odalisque painting is an unusual but not unique subject for him. he also produced this reclining odalisque, although the original is damaged.

Recumbent nude (c.1905)

This girl is not specifically labeled as an odalisque but she is lying on an eastern rug, which gives the painting orientalist qualities.

An odalisque (the French form of the Turkish odalik) was a maid to the concubines and wives of the Ottoman sultan.  If she was particularly attractive she might be trained to sing or dance and thus earn the chance to become a concubine.  Perhaps this young lady is doing an audition!

Odalisque Venus 1: by Francesco Michetti

Odalisque (1873)

Here is a Turkish-style odalisque (the lowest grade of girl in the harem) by Italian painter Francesco Paolo Michetti (1851-1929). The orientalist subject matter is unusual for the artist who specilaised in outdoor scenes.   Michetti originated in the Abruzzo region of Italy and after studying at the Academia in Naples moved to Paris to continue his studies, exhibiting at the 1872 Paris Salon.  

Self-portrait

In 1883 he bought an old convent building, back in Abruzzo, as his studio and home and took much of his inspiration from the local people and landscape.  He also exhibited in Milan, Naples, Berlin and at the first Venice Bienalle.  For the last twenty years of his life he lived as a virtual recluse and stopped exhibiting.