In the Seraglio

Ilene Susan Fort has commented that the present work 'fits into Bridgman's development, his interest in the life of Eastern women, usually in domestic indoor settings. It is similar to a group of images of figures sitting in an interior balcony and involved in quiet activities that date from the turn of the century, such as The Silence of the Night and Hour of Reverie. The Silence of the Night might actually be The Silence of the Night, Algiers exhibited at the 1895 Paris Salon. What connects these various images is the setting, an elaborate colonnade with columns, arches, and/or lattice work, and a view of the city beyond the sky, all forming an exotic backdrop for the figures'.

We are grateful to Dr. Fort for her assistance in preparing this catalogue entry.

To be included in the forthcoming Bridgeman catalogue raisonn, currently being prepared by Dr. Ilene Susan Fort.