Théodore Frère (1814-1888)

"The Arab Market Place"

Oil on canvas, signed

37 x 45 cm

Despite his father's hope that he would become a musician, Théodore Frère followed his precocious artistic talent to become one of the earlier European painters to travel to the East. He was also one of the few Frenchmen to paint Beirut, Jerusalem, Palmyra and Damascus. After studying under Camille Roqueplan and Coignet he made a tour of France and Europe. A view of Strasbourg was exhibited as his debut painting at the Paris Salon, 1834. However three years later a visit to Algeria was to alter his life. From then on he painted almost exclusively views of the Orient, from huge canvases to small intimate oils and watercolours. A number of these were shown at the Salon up until 1887 and were awarded with medals in 1848 and 1865. He also contributed to the Paris Exposition Universelles in 1855, 1867 and 1878.

He was in Constantine during its overthrow, travelling from there to Algeria until 1839 when he exhibited his first Oriental work at the Paris Salon. In 1851 he began a longer tour abroad, stopping at Malta, Greece, Smyrna in Turkey en route to Constantinople. After 18 months he travelled to Syria, Palestine, Egypt and Nubia. Then laden with sketches and artifacts he returned to his Paris studio where he set about filling his home and paintings with his eastern experiences. He also had a studio in Cairo and was so well respected by the locals that the Egyptian addressed him as 'bey'. Probably his last journey to Egypt was in 1869 when he accompanied Princess Eugénie at the opening of the Suez Canal. Princess Mathilde also admired his work and bought a number of pieces. As one of the great European Orientalist painters he is represented in many important public and private collections. These include the Metropolitan Museum, New York, the museums of Chicago, Minneapolis, Strasbourg, Bourges, Bagnères-de-Bigorre, Bourges, Laval, Mulhouse, Nancy, Perpignan, Reims, Rochefort, Musée Rolin in Autun and Musée de la Marine, Paris.