Pilny, Otto (Swiss, 1866-1936)

Otto Pilny (1866-1936) was a renowned Swiss painter, who was famous for his exceptional Orientalist renditions of subject matter.

Pilny began his artistic education in Prague, later living in Vienna before finally settling in Zurich. The artist became enchanted by the Orient, having travelled to Egypt in 1889. Pilny became enthralled by the country’s landscape, its people and their customs and returned many times to the East, where he painted prolifically. The artist’s extensive canon is distinctive for its use of warm tones, which capture the vibrant atmosphere of the Orient at the time.