Antique German Orientalist painting of a Cairo street by Macco

Antique German Orientalist painting of a Cairo street by Macco
German, Early 20th Century
Canvas: Height 77cm, width 116cm
Frame: Height 108cm, width 147cm, depth 10cm
 
This vibrant Orientalist oil painting is a striking example of the work of Georg Macco (1863-1933), one of Germany’s most versatile and accomplished travelling artists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
 
Closely linked with the Düsseldorf School of painting, Macco established a studio in Munich during the late 1880s before embarking on extensive travels across Europe and the Middle East. His journeys took him to Italy, Scandinavia, Jerusalem, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, influencing a diverse body of work that includes landscapes, portraits, architectural studies, and bustling urban scenes from his travels abroad.
 
Macco’s paintings have retained their appeal long after his death, with many pieces held in prominent museum collections throughout Europe.
 
This particular painting depicts a lively street scene in Cairo. In the foreground, figures and animals move between palm trees and stone buildings, while street vendors sell fruits and produce along the roadside. Above them, the dome of a mosque rises prominently, dividing the animated foreground from the distant cityscape in the background.
 
Macco’s characteristic brushwork—composed of short, bold strokes—is especially evident in the textured surface of the mosque’s dome and the detailed clothing of the figures. This technique adds rich texture and enhances the depth and vibrancy of the composition.
 
Set within an ornate giltwood frame, the canvas is signed ‘Georg Macco’ in the lower left corner.
 
Drawing directly from his personal travel experiences, this lively depiction of Cairo offers a captivating focal point for any interior and is sure to appeal to collectors of Orientalist and urban genre paintings.
 
Artist/Maker: Macco, Georg (German, 1863-1933)