Large Orientalist oil painting of Cairo port by Corrodi

The painting depicts a port in Cairo with the sea extending away into the distance on the left. The scene is populated by figures—men, women and children—in colourful, loosely-draped garments and headscarves. Sailing ships are propped up on the land, while others bob on the water. These are accompanied by smaller fishing boats. Cairean buildings stand in the centre foreground surrounded by trees, and on an outcrop of land in the left distance. The sky above the sea and sun-cracked land is light blue with a few fluffy white clouds.

This picture is signed in the left lower corner ‘H. Corrodi, Roma’. Hermann David Salomon Corrodi was an accomplished Italian painter who was active in the late 19^th and early 20^th Century. Corrodi was an important practitioner of the Orientalist style, which emerged in this period. He trained at the Academy of St Luke in Rome and later moved to Paris to continue his studies. Corrodi travelled to Egypt, Syria, Cyprus and Istanbul to find subjects for his paintings. His work was well-received in his lifetime and he was acquainted with European royalty, including Queen Victoria.  

The painting is displayed in a carved giltwood frame which bears a title plaque reading ‘H. Corrodi/ Rome’. The reverse of the stretcher is signed in pencil ‘Andrew Jergens, June 23, 1929’ and ‘Cairo 4500’.

Canvas: Height 65cm, width 124.5cm, depth 3cm
Frame: Height 89cm, width 148cm, depth 6cm