At the oasis

Charles Théodore Frère is a great figure in the Orientalist movement. In this example the pale yellow tones and strong blue sky, contrast with the orange light that bathes the figures and houses in the background conveying the warmth of early evening in the desert. His figures are anonymous as the artist is not interested in individual facial studies. He creates a world through the clever use of flat blocks of colour that simultaneously give the impression of great detail. Frère exhibited his first Orientalist painting at the 1839 Salon, following a trip to Algeria that changed the course of his artistic career. From then on he painted only scenes from the Muslim world and abandoned more traditional subjects. He travelled extensively through the East and visited Constantinople, Syria, Palestine, Egypt and Nubia, from where he drew material for Orientalist paintings throughout his career.