Charles-Théodore Frère Orientalist Oil Painting

Charles-Théodore Frère (French, 1814-1888)

"A Street Scene in Cairo"

In a carved wood frame painted to mimic tortoiseshell with a pale green velour liner. 

Circa 1888

Signed

Oil on wood panel

Board: 13.5" x 9.25"

Framed: 22.75" x 19.25"

Charles Théodore Frère is a well respected French painter known for his contributions to Orientalist painting. After originally attaining notoriety in Paris with his landscape paintings, Frère began contributing to the movement known as Orientalism, the depiction of the East by highlighting their cultural practices, daily life, architecture, and climate. Following his first trip to Algeria, which lasted roughly from 1836 or 1837 to 1839, he became intrigued by the cultures of the Middle East and North Africa, influencing his painting practice which shifted away from depictions of European landscapes to eastern scenes. During his career, he traveled through Egypt, Greece, Turkey, and Syria, spending several years in Egypt, traveling down the Nile numerous times and eventually establishing his own studio in Cairo. For three decades starting in 1855, he began to exhibit only Orientalist themes at the Salon, including landscapes, cityscapes, and interiors. With works hanging in prestigious museums, such as the Metropolitan in New York City,  Frère is still highly respected today for his diligent and well studied depictions of northern africa and the middle east during this pivotal time in history.