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Figure d'une Femme Arabe de Alexandrie

Unknown

1805

watercolor

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Orientalism Romanticism Early 19th Century

Dominant colour

Figure d'une Femme Arabe de Alexandrie is a 1805 watercolor by Unknown, a Orientalism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 1805 · Orientalism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This painting shows a woman dressed in loose, flowing robes and a headscarf. She stands on a rocky shore with a few scattered bushes behind her. Her outfit is simple but detailed, with blue cuffs peeking from under her sleeves and a necklace of red beads. One hand rests on her hip while the other points forward, as if she’s explaining something. The painting uses soft watercolors, giving it a gentle, dreamy look. The light seems to come from the front, making her robes glow slightly against the pale background. If you like this style, check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more works like it.

The story of this work

Overview

This watercolor depicts a woman in traditional attire, likely from Alexandria, based on stylistic similarities to an engraving in Karsten Niebuhr’s 1792 travel account. The work may represent an early 19th-century reinterpretation of a scene from Niebuhr’s expedition (1761–1763), which was documented in his published volumes. The figure’s clothing suggests regional dress from the period, aligning with European observations of Middle Eastern customs. The piece entered a private collection in 1961 after being acquired from Walter Spencer.

Read the full account in the museum source.