Coastal oil painting with a Middle Eastern minaret by Berchère

Coastal oil painting with a Middle Eastern minaret by Berchère
French, 19th Century
Canvas: Height 46cm, width 38cm
Frame: Height 74cm, width 67cm, depth 10cm
 
This atmospheric scene is by Narcisse Berchère (1819-1891), a French painter and engraver known for his Orientalist paintings like this example in the Mayfair Gallery collection. The painting depicts an unidentified middle eastern coastal town – possibly Egypt as Berchère was known to travel there.
 
In the centre of the canvas is a mosque, identified by the white, spired dome in the background and the ornate minaret which towers up from the left side. The minaret features a wooden balcony surround. The crumbling exterior of the mosque highlights the historicity of the building. Surrounding the building are several figures, dressed in robes that match the overall colour palette.
 
The red and brown tones of the building are complemented by the dusty ground, as well as by the dark green shrubs and palm trees in the left middle ground. Hidden in the left background is a glimpse of a harbour, plus several (probable) ship sails, tied up since the boats would be docked. A number of seagulls can be seen flocking around the buildings and trees.
 
The painting is rendered in gestural brushstrokes, which can particularly be seen in the handling of the clouds. The use of light is particularly impressive.
 
Ensconced in a superb, carved giltwood frame, the painting is signed in the lower left ‘Berchere’, with an inscribed plaque on the frame. The painting is signed indistinctly – possibly (18)55.
 
This evocative painting would be an excellent addition to any collection of Orientalist art.
 
Artist/Maker: Narcisse Berchère