View of ruins complex Karnak in Egypt was executed by Ludwig Hans Fischer (1848 in Salzburg - 1915 in Vienna), famous Austrian landscape painter, orientalist, graphic artist, draftsman, illustrator, archaeologist and ethnologist. 

After completing secondary school, he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna from 1869, initially at the General School of Painting, then from 1870 to 1873 at the School of Copperplate Engraving under Louis Jacoby (1828–1918) and, at the same time, etching under William Unger (1837–1932) at the School of Applied Arts. In 1873 and 1874, Fischer completed the special school for landscape painting under Eduard Peithner von Lichtenfels (1833–1913) at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts.

In 1875, financed by a scholarship from the Academy, he made his first trip to the Orient and visited Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Palestine and Asia Minor. From 1875 to 1877 he lived in Rome. From 1879 he took part in exhibitions in Vienna, Munich, Berlin and Dresden, among others. Between 1882 and 1889, Fischer painted eight murals in the exhibition rooms on the mezzanine floor of the Natural History Museum in Vienna, and in 1890 he painted a lunette with the Heron of Trysa for the Museum of Art History.

Fischer traveled a lot; almost every year he stayed either on the Dalmatian coast, in the Balkans or on Corfu. In 1878 he traveled to Tunis, in 1879 to Norway, in 1880 to Asia Minor, Palestine and Egypt (Fischer's sketchbook from this trip is in the Vienna Museum), in 1882 to Spain and in 1887 again to Egypt (Luxor and Karnak).

Fischer was friends with the writer, art collector, patron and explorer Karl Lanckoroński (1848–1933) and was a guest several times at his country estate in Rosdil in Galicia, now in Ukraine.

In 1888, Fischer traveled with Lanckoroński to Italy (Rome, Naples and Amalfi). In 1888/1889, he accompanied Lanckoronski on a trip to India. They first traveled through the Suez Canal to the Red Sea and then via Ceylon (Sri Lanka) to Darjeeling and through the Ganges Delta to Calcutta, from where Fischer began his return journey. In 1890, he exhibited 68 watercolors painted on this trip, several oil paintings and some objects he brought back from this trip to India in the Austrian Trade Museum in Vienna.

In 1891, Fischer visited Egypt again; his last trip there was in 1897. In 1904, he stayed in southern Italy. After that, he lived mainly in Vienna and in Pörtschach am Wörther See. His travels can be traced through numerous postcards on which he describes special, for example amusing, events, characterizes his contemporaries ironically, but also draws himself humorously.

Fischer worked on the magazine for fine art and on the 24-volume regional encyclopedia The Austrian Monarchy in Word and Image (Kronprinzenwerk).

Fischer was primarily a vedute painter; he painted important historical sites as well as landscapes of the Orient and the Dalmatian coast. He also painted fans, designed medals and worked as a columnist and illustrator of travelogues.

Fischer was a member of the Association of Fine Artists in Vienna (Künstlerhaus) from 1874, a founding member in 1885 and chairman of the Vienna Watercolorists' Club from 1889 to 1890.

Fischer was a member of the Vienna Anthropological Society and the Vienna Prehistoric Society and from 1891 a correspondent of the Imperial and Royal Central Commission for the Research and Preservation of Architectural Monuments. In 1911 he was appointed Knight of the Franz Joseph Order.

Watercolors by Fischer were exhibited in the Austrian pavilion at the Paris World Exhibition of 1900. Fischer was also represented with at least one painting, "The Caravan", at the 1904 World Exhibition in St. Louis (Louisiana Purchase Exposition) in the Palace of Fine Arts.

Provenance: private collection in Rome.

Literature: art lexicons by H.Fuchs; Thieme/Becker und others; on-line Wikipedia.

Inscription: signed lower right.

Technique: oil on paper, laid down on canvas, original frame.

Measurements: unframed w. x h. (47 x 33,5 cm) ; framed 24 1/3" x 18 7/8" (62 x 48 cm). 

Condition: very good condition.