An early 20th-century oil on canvas after the original by Austrian artist, Franz Wurbel (1822-1900). It depicts an animated street scene whereby a young lady on a donkey is handing a coin to a blind beggar. Behind her, a middle-aged gentleman makes his way carefully down some well-trodden steps.

The paint is applied thickly with a degree of vigour and some of the details are particularly well rendered, particularly the donkey and the expressions of the figures.

During the 19th-century, it became popular for artists from the West to travel to the Eastern world to study its sights, vibrant colours, and scenery. As a result, a new genre of painting was born, which was referred to as ‘Orientalism’. Franz Würbel is known as a painter from this school and often created fine studies of busy streets and bustling crowds - particularly in Tunisia and Egypt.

The painting is signed twice in the top right - F Wurbel J Ronacher.

Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 31” x 38” / 78cm x 97cm
Year of creation: c. 1920
Provenance: Germany
Condition: Recently cleaned and lightly restored. Craquelure in areas but the paint layer is stable.