Jean Discart (French, 1856-1944)

Very little is known about this remarkably talented artist whose work so beautifully translates the finest characteristics of the Orient. The present lot mirrors the finesse and lifelike quality of the proud guardsmen depicted by fellow masters of the genre such as Ludwig Deutsch and Rudolf Ernst. The artist's keen eye for detail is omnipresent in this lot. His painstaken rendition of every fold of the harem guard's costume, the richness of the intricately decorated arms, the noble features and the subtle variation in tones and textures of the background bring together a composition which can only be considered a superb example of a true Orientalist artist's work.