The Alhambra was a popular subject for 19th century Orientalist painters. It afforded the painter an opportunity to display his ability to interpret historical costume and to delineate the complicated and decorative space of the palace. Filippo Baratti first painted pictures of period costumes from the 16th century, but by 1878 he was concentrating his efforts on Moorish themes. Baratti's painting La Reddition of 1879, set in the Sala de los Abencerrajes at the Alhambra, was an interpretation of L'Espagne, written by le baron J.C.Davillier in 1877. This guide was instrumental in creating the infatuation of Near-Eastern motifs, and Baratti was one of a long-standing tradition of Italian artists to fulfil this desire. The tradition began in the 15th century when Gentile Bellini painted Muhammed II; it was continued by Piranesi, and flourished into the 19th century, creating a substantial group of artists who depicted Arabic life, both real and fantastical.