Enzie Shamiri - OIL PAINTING: Profile On Eduard Charlemont
Sunday, May 1, 2011 at 05:00AM 
Eduard Charlemont was born in Vienna on August 2, 1848 into a family of artists. His father, Matthias Adolf Charlemont, specialized in miniature portrait paintings and he encouraged his son to paint with him. At age 15 Eduard was so skilled in drawing that he taught drawing at a girl’s school. His younger brother Hugo Charlemont (1850-1939) was later also well known as an Impressionist painter. Eduard started his career as a historical painter studying and later exhibiting his work at the Academy of FineArts in Vienna ( 1868-l1870).
After graduating from the Academy, Charlemont traveled to Germany, Italy and Paris. He later opened his studio in Paris and lived there for the next thirty years, frequently exhibiting and winning first prize at the Paris Salon( Beaux-Arts). At the beginning of his career Charlemont painted intimate interior scenes reflecting the influence of 17th-century Dutch masters, such as Johannes Vermeer.
In 1870 he travelled to Egypt and Tunisia. As a result of these travels and the increased popularity in Orientalist subject matter, the artist joined the Orientalist movement and showed his skills with the The Guardian of the Seraglio painting, widely known as The Moorish Chief, which won 1st place at the Universal Exposition in Paris in 1878.
The Moorish Chief was first exhibited under the title The Guardian of the Seraglio. In Muslim countries women lived in separate sections of a household that would shield them from a strangers gaze. As the guardian of the seraglio this imposing male figure clad in white robes would have stopped any intruder in their tracks. The name was later changed for unknown reasons to The Moorish Chief. The room setting definitely is of Moorish origin and the arches and columns resemble those found in the Alhambra, a famous fortress in Grenada, Spain. Most likely Charlemont used a model, which he dressed in a hooded cloak, called “burnoose”, which was worn by Arabs and Moors. Orientalist artist would often return with souvenirs from their travels which they would later use as props in their paintings. There are many realistic details in this painting, from the clothing to the richly decorated sword cover stuck into the gold-embroidered belt, which were surely items the artist had access to for close study. The painting is done in oil on panel, which allowed for precision handling and refined detail work. Measuring 59 1/8 x 38 ½ inches the painting is a true feast for the eyes.
Charlemont was also known for his murals. He painted three approximately 6 feet tall panels for the Burg theatre (The National Theatre in Vienna) and in 1888 was made honorary member of the Art Academy of Vienna. Eduard Charlemont received much recognition for his skills as an artist during his life time, even winning a bronze medal at Universal exposition in 1900 in Paris at age 52. Today his painting of the Moorish Chief is one of the most popular paintings at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, yet little recognition is given to the artist oeuvre.
Eduard Charlemont died in Vienna in 1906 due to complications after surgery.
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