Otto Pilny, Budweis 1866–1936 Zurich
Dance in the Desert, c. 1918
Oil on canvas, unlined
112 x 161 cm.; 47¾ x 63½ in.
Private collection
Sold for 100,800 GBP in March 2021
Though little is known of Pilny's early artistic career, it may have been during a brief period of study in Vienna that he was encouraged to travel abroad. Ludwig Deutsch (1855–1935), Rudolf Ernst (1854–1932), and Carl Leopold Müller (1834–1892) had all made this city synonymous with Orientalist art, exhibiting their pictures of Middle Eastern life to great acclaim. Pilny's first trip to Egypt – the favorite destination of the Austro-Hungarian school – took place in 1889; a second journey followed three years later. The paintings that resulted record not merely the landscapes and people that Pilny encountered but also the magical effects of Eastern light and sun. More on this painting
Otto Pilny, (Schweitz, 1866-1936)
Desert dance scene
Oil on canvas
111 x 160 cm.
Private collection
Sold for 25,400 GBP in April 2024
Otto Pilny (SWISS, 1866-1936)
A dance in the desert, c. 1898
Oil on canvas
31 ½ x 47 ½ in. (80 x 120.5 cm.)
Private collection
Sold for GBP 12,500 in Mar 2017
Otto Pilny (Swiss, 1866-1936)
The best dancer, c. 1913
Oil on canvas
120.5 x 185.5cm (47 1/2 x 73in).
Private collection
Sold for US$132,000 in May 2010
The best dancer is a particularly virtuoso representation of one of the artist's favourite themes. The painting is a fine example of the luminosity which is so typical of Pilny's work. As the sun sets, the silhouette of the dancer and her audience become clearer. The orange tones, unique to the desert sun, were of particular interest to the artist. Pilny retells the simplicity of Bedouin life by illustrating the enjoyment of the viewers. He also invites us to watch the almost life-size dancer by creating a direct line of sight to the performance without any obstructions. He was a prolific painter and fuelled by his love for the Orient he left behind a wide oeuvre in which the warm tones and vibrant atmosphere of tribal desert dominate the scene. More on this painting
Otto Pilny (Swiss, 1866-1936)
The Dancer
Oil on canvas
111.5 by 160cm., 44 by 63in.
Private collection
Sold for 63,650 GBP in May 2011
Otto Pilny
Dancing at Sunset, c. 1905
Oil on canvas
120.5 by 179.5cm., 47½ by 70¾in.
Private collection
Sold for GBP 22,500 in May 2013
Otto Pilny
Dancing at Sunset
Oil on canvas
80.5 by 120cm., 31½ by 47¼in.
Private collection
Sold for 63,650 GBP in May 2011
Pilny was especially interested in capturing the effects of directional light on the sand and figures in order to evoke a powerful impression, sometimes at the expense of ethnographic accuracy, as in the present work. While the individual figures and their costumes are minutely observed, they in fact hail from different parts of the Middle East: the figure on the left wears a Tunisian style fez, while the two seated men in the left foreground wear the headresses unique to modern-day Iraq and Saudi Arabia, respectively. The girl herself appears, judging by her complexion, to be North African, probably Egyptian. More on this painting
Otto Pilny
The desert dance
Oil on canvas
31 ¾ x 47 ½ in. (80.6 x 120.7 cm.)
Private collection
Sold for USD 4,375 in Dec 2018
Otto Pilny
DANCE OF THE SEVEN VEILS, c. 1916
Oil on canvas
130 by 160cm., 51 by 63in.
Private collection
Sold for 51,650 GBP in May 2011
Otto Pilny was a Swiss painter. He was born in 1866 in Budweis and died in 1936 in Zürich. He began his artistic education in Prague and lived in Vienna for a time before ultimately settling in Zurich. He travelled to Egypt twice, making his first visit in 1875 where he stayed for two years. He was so captivated by the landscape, people and their mores that he spent the rest of his career painting Orientalist works. He was particularly taken by the Bedouin customs and often travelled with them into the desert where he could sketch the evening entertainment which he would later use on his massive canvases. His second visit to the East was from 1889 to 1892. It was at this time that his work pleased the King of Egypt, Abbas II, and he was asked to decorate the order of the Medjidije. More Otto Pilny
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