Brave Fine Art has dated this piece to the 1910s.
It’s nicely rendered and features some curious details, which add to its intrigue and allure. Note the mouth, which is slightly open as if he’s about to speak, and the eyes that gaze past us with life and intent.
Harry Houdini (Erich Weisz) was born in Budapest, Hungary, and moved to New York at the age of 13. From an early age, he decided to pursue a career as a magician and soon drew attention for his escape acts with handcuffs.
In 1899, he began touring the US, and before too long became the highest-paid performer in American vaudeville. Spurred on by an ever-demanding audience, he continually challenged himself and his act evolved to include water-filled tanks, nailed crates, and lock-picking. At one point, he was lowered upside down into a locked glass cabinet filled with water, which required him to hold his breath for more than three minutes.
Aside from his escapology exploits, Houdini also pursued a career in the movies - releasing his first film in 1901, Merveilleux Exploits du Célébre Houdini Paris. Subsequent films included The Master Mystery, The Grim Game and Terror Island.
Rather surprisingly, despite his perilous career, it was a mundane illness that finally saw the demise of the infamous entertainer. In 1926, Harry Houdini succumbed to peritonitis caused by a ruptured appendix.
It’s fascinating to consider how this portrait was produced. We can’t locate a photograph with the same image so perhaps it was painted from life. It dates to around 1910 when he was in his 30s.
Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 19½” x 24” / 50cm x 62cm
Year of creation: c. 1910
Provenance: Scotland
Condition: Very presentable with craquelure in areas.
Brave Fine Art has dated this piece to the 1910s.
Exquisite antique paintings that capture the imagination.
You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Brave Fine Art Profile Page
Continental School, Rare Portrait of Harry Houdini, Antique Oil Painting
