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Lot Essay
Born to a French adventurer in what is now the Dominican Republic in 1819, Théodore Chassériau exhibited a prodigious artistic talent from a young age. Though his career was short and his œuvre regrettably small (the artist died in Paris at the age of 37) he ranks among the most important and influential artists of the first half of the 19th century. Chassériau’s mature style was the product of the influence of two rivals; his first teacher, Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, and Eugène Delacroix, the dominant advant garde figure of French painting of the period.
In 1846, Chassériau was invited by Ali-ben-Hamet to visit the city of Constantine in Algeria. He subsequently joined Delacroix, Marilhat and Fromentin in the ranks of enthusiasts for the light, color, mystery and exoticism of North Africa. Just as their experiences of the Orient transformed the palettes of Delacroix, Fromentin and Gérôme, so Chassériau’s journey to Algeria had a profound and lasting influence on his œuvre, providing him with a wealth of new subject matter and introducing him to a dazzling light and colors saturated he had not yet experienced.
Jeune homme arabe debout, with its imaginary landscape evocative of North Africa, was probably based on an individual that Chassériau encountered on this trip to Algeria. It was acquired almost immediately after it was painted by Adolphe Moreau père (1800-1859), grandfather of the critic Étienne Moreau-Nélaton (1859-1927), and it is fitting that this small, exquisitely painted and charmingly evocative cabinet painting would find a home in such a distinguished collection.
In 1846, Chassériau was invited by Ali-ben-Hamet to visit the city of Constantine in Algeria. He subsequently joined Delacroix, Marilhat and Fromentin in the ranks of enthusiasts for the light, color, mystery and exoticism of North Africa. Just as their experiences of the Orient transformed the palettes of Delacroix, Fromentin and Gérôme, so Chassériau’s journey to Algeria had a profound and lasting influence on his œuvre, providing him with a wealth of new subject matter and introducing him to a dazzling light and colors saturated he had not yet experienced.
Jeune homme arabe debout, with its imaginary landscape evocative of North Africa, was probably based on an individual that Chassériau encountered on this trip to Algeria. It was acquired almost immediately after it was painted by Adolphe Moreau père (1800-1859), grandfather of the critic Étienne Moreau-Nélaton (1859-1927), and it is fitting that this small, exquisitely painted and charmingly evocative cabinet painting would find a home in such a distinguished collection.