Image: Wailing Wall by Gustav Bauernfeind

Description: From Sotheby's: An awe-inspiring rendering of one of the most iconic architectural sites of the Holy Land, Bauernfeind's painting of the Wailing Wall belongs to a series of large-scale oils of the same subject that form the artistic centrepiece of his oeuvre. The artist has drawn upon his fastidious talent as a realist painter, and his first hand observations of Middle Eastern culture, in order to present an image that is historically and archaeologically accurate in execution, and appropriately reverential in tone. It represents the apogee of his understanding of eastern culture. The present work addresses the solemnity of prayer as well as the timelessness of the Wailing Wall, and its continuity with the past. Indeed, the 2000 year old wall which takes up the majority of the canvas is itself a testament to the endurance of religion. Bauernfeind gives the Wall, rather than the worshippers, prominence in his composition. The Wall is bathed in a luminescent, almost supernatural light, adding to the feeling of holiness of the site, and also allowing Bauernfeind to demonstrate his virtuoso ability to paint the changes in texture and subtleties of light across its surface.
Title: The Wailing Wall, Jerusalem
Credit: Sotheby's
Author: Gustav Bauernfeind (1848-1904)
Permission: This is a faithful photographic reproduction of a two-dimensional, public domain work of art. The work of art itself is in the public domain for the following reason: This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 100 years or less. You must also include a United States public domain tag to indicate why this work is in the public domain in the United States. This file has been identified as being free of known restrictions under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights. The official position taken by the Wikimedia Foundation is that "faithful reproductions of two-dimensional public domain works of art are public domain". This photographic reproduction is therefore also considered to be in the public domain in the United States. In other jurisdictions, re-use of this content may be restricted; see Reuse of PD-Art photographs for details.
Usage Terms: Public domain
License: Public domain
Attribution Required?: No