Head of an Arab

ca. 1861
Not on view
Pils spent two years living in the Kabylie region of Northern Algeria, studying the landscape and people in preparation for a commission commemorating the visit of Emperor Napoléon III and Empress Eugénie to the area in 1860. This pastel drawing of a distinguished sitter wearing a voluminous burnous (hooded cloak) was likely intended as an independent work based on its large scale and the fact that the artist signed the sheet.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Head of an Arab
  • Artist: Isidore Pils (French, Paris 1813/15–1875 Douarnenez)
  • Date: ca. 1861
  • Medium: Charcoal and pastel
  • Dimensions: Sheet: 16 15/16 × 15 5/16 in. (43 × 38.9 cm)
  • Classification: Drawings
  • Credit Line: Bequest of Harvey Salzman, 2020
  • Object Number: 2022.25.20
  • Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints

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