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Two Arabs in a Quffa

Arthur Trevor Haddon

1864

watercolor

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Impressionism Orientalism Realism Late 19th Century

Dominant colour

Two Arabs in a Quffa is a 1864 watercolor by Arthur Trevor Haddon, a Impressionism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Arthur Trevor Haddon
When & what style?: 1864 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

Arthur Trevor Haddon painted *Two Arabs in a Quffa* with watercolours. The work shows two men paddling a traditional round boat on Middle Eastern rivers. Their old-style robes and headdresses hint at a vanished way of life. Haddon never went to Mesopotamia. He likely used photos or books to create this scene. The painting mixes realistic detail with softer brushwork. See more works by Haddon, Arthur Trevor (RBA).

The story of this work

Overview

The painting depicts two young men paddling a quffa, a traditional circular boat used on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in Mesopotamia. They wear long striped wrap-over robes and distinctive headdresses secured with heavy rope-like bands, attire that was common in southern Arabia at the turn of the 20th century but has since fallen out of use. Arthur Trevor Haddon, known for his portraits and scenes of daily life, may have based this work on a photograph, as no record exists of his travel to Mesopotamia despite documented trips to other regions. The painting was acquired by Phillips in…

Read the full account in the museum source.