Franz ROUBAUD (1856-1928) - Lot 10

Franz ROUBAUD (1856-1928) Central Asian caravan en route to Mecca Oil on canvas Signed lower right Annotated "Victor Stoeffler, Gérardmer, Vosges" on the stretcher on the back 59 x 88 cm Provenance : - Victor Stoeffler collection, then by descent to the current owner. Franz ROUBAUD (1856-1928) A French-born history and battle painter, Franz Roubaud Roubaud was born in Odessa, in the Russian Empire, where his parents where his parents, merchants from Marseilles, had settled. In 1877, he left for Germany, where he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich under the guidance of Joseph von Brandt. He then joined the Imperial Academy of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg, where he established himself as a master of panoramic paintings of historical battles and received commissions from Tsars Alexander III and Nicholas II. Nicholas II. His extensive travels took him as far as the Caucasus and Central Asia, regions that left a deep imprint on his on his artistic imagination. In 1913, shortly before World War I, Roubaud left the Russian Empire for Munich Munich, where he settled permanently and continued his work for the rest of his life. At the end of the 19th century, many inhabitants of Central Asia undertook the pilgrimage to Mecca, a sacred journey for Muslims. This pilgrimage, known as hajj, was considered a religious act of great importance, attracting pilgrims pilgrims from far-flung regions, including the Russian Empire. Russian Empire. To cope with the dangers of the roads, travelers often formed caravans, which provided mutual aid and protection. protection. Although travel conditions were difficult, with routes through deserts and mountains, the pilgrimage to pilgrimage to Mecca remained a central event in the spiritual life spiritual life of the peoples of Central Asia. An aviation pioneer with a passion for mechanics from an early age, Strasbourg-born Victor Stoeffler discovered aviation in 1910 and obtained his pilot's license in 1912, before setting a world record in 1913 for the greatest distance covered in 24 hours: 2,160 km on an Aviatik biplane. After the war, he moved back to Strasbourg, where he founded a foundry and became involved in local industry, leaving his name to a street in his hometown.