Richard-Karl Karlovič Zommer: Samarkand (19th/ 20th century)

(Private Collection)

A painting by the Russian artist Richard-Karl Karlovič Zommer (1866-1939). Richard Zommer produced almost exclusively landscapes and city views from central Asia and Transcaucasia (South Caucasus) such as this. This piece offers a view on the famous city of Samarkand in modern Uzbekistan. Samarkand is one of the oldest cities in central Asia and was the capitol of various empires - the best known ruler was Timur (1336-1405), founder of the Timurid Empire, and also known in the West as 'Tamerlane' - the powerful Mughal empire in India was founded by a a direct descendant of Timur. The city of Samarkand is listed as a World Heritage site by UNESCO and is a popular tourist attraction. Painting from late 19th or early 20th century.