(Vienna 1845–1916) Egyptian Palace at the World Exhibition of 1873 in Vienna’s Prater, viewed from a former arm of the Danube, signed T. Blau, on the reverse of the new frame a damaged Vienna Künstlerhaus label, oil on canvas, 64.5 x 89 cm, framed, (Rei)

Vienna Künstlerhaus label dated 1917, number 1724, confirmed by Dr. Wladimir Aichelburg. Letter of authentication: Mag. Peter Kovacek, Vienna, October 2000 available. The Vienna World Exhibition took place from 1st May to 2nd November 1873. The exhibition grounds in the Vienna Prater were bordered to the south-west by the main walkway through the Prater, the Hauptallee, to the north-west by the Praterstern and the former North Railway Station, to the south-east by the Au lowlands and to the north-east by the newly regulated Danube, a project completed only by 1870. The regulation of the Danube resulted in a massive change to the Danube landscape in the area between Kaisermühlen and the Prater. The neighbouring landscape of the Au, which had directly bordered the Prater, was now subdivided. Many ancient tributaries of the rivers Prater and Lobau became stretches of standing water which, over the course of time, completely dried up. Karl Freiherr von Hasenauer was responsible for the architectural design of the exhibition grounds, and he realised the project together with the architects Theophil Hansen and Heinrich Ferstel, amongst others. The area consisted of a total of 194 pavilions built in a multitude of international styles. For example, a small oriental quarter was constructed consisting of an Egyptian palace, a Turkish house, a boutique, an armoury, a Moroccan and a Persian house. The architect Smoranz intended his Egyptian palace to illustrate the oriental art of building, although it reflected neither a specific period nor a particular function. The palace was a combination of domestic residence, palace, bath house and mosque, complete with cupola and minaret, of modern and traditional architecture with the „typically oriental“ red-gold colouring on the walls and luxurious ornamentation. Inside were quarters for the men, a harem and a reception room furnished with divans and oriental musical instruments. Bright, colourful windows bathed the inner rooms in a colourful, muted light. The palace was surrounded by gardens containing a farmhouse and an ancient Egyptian grave. Similarly, the Turkish house too was a medley of various oriental and European features. This ostentatious palace of the Vizier of Egypt was even inhabited for a few days by the Khedive. (Cf. Karin Rhein, Deutsche Orientmalerei in der zweiten Hälfte des 19. Jahrhunderts, Entwicklung und Charakteristika, Berlin 2003, Dissertation, p. 45; Ulrike Felber, Carla Camilleri, Schauplatz Wien 1873, Exhibition at the Vienna Technical Museum, 2004; ill. 34, ill. 36, ill. 83 G. Tobias Natter (pub.) , Pleinair, Die Landschaftsmalerin Tina Blau 1845–1916, Exhibition at the Jewish Museum Vienna, 1996, p. 56; de. wikipedia. org/wiki/ Weltausstellung_1873, 11.8.2010)