This watercolour drawing shows the left half of the stained-glass window (IG_64), designed by the French architect Henri Saladin (1851–1923) and installed above a wooden mashrabiyya, which is also partially depicted. The window is composed of four panels, three of them being represented in the drawing. Whereas the rectangular middle panel with an Arabic inscription in two cartouches one above the other and a flanking cypress tree, as well as the oblong panel with a flower tendril below are cut in the middle, the right panel with three identical compositions of flowers in a blue vase is reproduced in full. In contrast to Islamic representations of the motif, the flowers are depicted in a naturalistic manner. The colourful designs stands out from the white background. In comparison with the window as executed, the framing of the different motifs in the middle and right panels is much darker and drawn in black and white.

This drawing was executed by the French architect Henri Saladin (1851–1923) one year after completing the stained-glass window represented in it (IG_64), which was designed by him for the Swiss collector and traveller to the Orient Henri Moser-Charlottenfels (1844–1923). The window depicted is a replica of a type of stucco and glass window widespread in Egypt during the Ottoman period. It was executed by the Parisian glass-painter August Bruin (active 1872–1908) in the spring of 1908, in line with to Saladin’s instructions. A particularly important point was the reproduction of the perforated white stucco panel in glass, which is one of the characteristics of qamariyyāt. As Moser’s replica was not executed in the Islamic technique using stucco and glass, but in line with Western tradition as lead glazing, Bruin used white opalescent glass with etched holes for the background.

From the correspondance between Saladin and Moser held at the Bernisches Historisches Museum, we know that the French architect wished to reinforce this effect after completion and delivery of the window. Thus, in a handwritten letter dated 12 May 1909, Saladin mentions a drawing he will send to Moser the next day and explains his concerns as follows: ‘Le fond A de l’encadrement est trop transparent, il me semble qu’il faudrait peindre ce fond en blanc avec de la ceìruse eìpaisse afin qu’il soit opaque, mais on devrait toujours reìserver les trous transparents [...]. De cette façon quand la lumieÌre serait allumeìe, les vitraux se deìtacheraient en clair dans un encadrement relativement sombre et cela serait plus conforme aÌ la reìaliteì’ (‘The background A of the framing is too transparent; it seems to me that we should paint this background white with lead white, so that it is opaque, but the holes that allow light through should still be retained […]. In this way, when the light is lit, the windows will stand out clearly against their relatively dark framing, and this will be more in line with reality.’) (BHM, Saladin 12 May 1909). On 13 May 1909, Saladin writes to Moser again, this time enclosing the here discussed drawing and explaining the necessary intervention: ‘Je vous envoie ci inclus le dessin représentant l’effet des vitraux après qu’on aura recouvert de peinture blanche bien épaisse les parties peintes en email opalin (en prenant soin de ne pas recouvrir les parties transparentes gravés dans l’opale et qui sont en forme de petits cercles).’ (‘I am sending herewith the drawing that represents the effect of the stained-glass windows after the portions painted with opaline enamel have been recoated with very thick white paint (while taking care not to cover the parts of the opalescent glass through which the light shines, which are in the shape of small circles).’) (BHM, Saladin 13 May 1909). Examination of the window (IG_64) has however shown that this working-over had not been executed as described, as no paint could be observed on the opalescent glass. Instead, all the lead cames are covered with ceruse to enhance the effect of traditional stucco grilles.

Saladin’s insistence on the most authentic replica possible shows his first-hand knowledge of traditional Islamic stucco and glass windows, which is reflected not only in his publications (IG_45, IG_248), but also in his exhibition pavilions for the Tunisian section of the Exposition Universelle in Paris in 1889 and 1900 (see for instance IG_249), in which he installed custom-made shamsiyyāt from Tunisia. Furthermore, he was commissioned by the widow of Baron Alphonse Delort de Gléon (1843–1899) to plan the relocation of the baron’s collection and Ottoman Salon, furnished with numerous Egyptian qamariyyāt (IG_1–IG_29, IG_33–IG_41), for his hôtel particulier at Rue de Vézelay 18 in Paris to the Musée du Louvre in 1912 (AMN, Delort de Gléon 1914–1920).