Hermann David Solomon Corrodi (Italian, 1844-1905)

The present lot depicts Trajan's Kiosk, part of the ancient Temple complex on the island of Philae. Many have been enthralled by its unequivocal presence in the landscape. Amelia Edwards (1831-–1892), British novelist and Egyptologist, wrote: 'The approach by water is quite the most beautiful. Seen from the level of a small boat, the island, with its palms, its colonnades, its pylons, seems to rise out of the river like a mirage. Piled rocks frame it on either side, and the purple mountains close up the distance. As the boat glides nearer between glistening boulders, those sculptured towers rise higher and even higher against the sky. They show no sign of ruin or age. All looks solid, stately, perfect.'.

The present lot clearly shows that Corrodi was captivated by the atmosphere of the land. He has successfully transposed his visual inspiration onto a canvas and has captured the warm tones of the landscape and the contrast between the soft lines of the Nile river and the stark architecture of the Temple complex.