Nubian Woman in Profile, c. 1880

The fascination that the Orient had always had on Europe saw a great flowering in the second half of the 19th century. Leopold Carl Müller (1834–1892) is considered a main exponent of Austrian Oriental painting. He was interested in the light and colors of North Africa, but even more so the everyday life of the people. He found his motifs in the streets and markets. During his, all in all, nine stays in Egypt, Müller created many head studies, which he then went on to use for larger compositions. This painting shows a woman in traditional garb in profile against a dark background. Müller is not concerned with fanciful staging and loud colors, but with authentic portraiture, which is underlined by the muted coloration.

AGW, 2021