Cafe House, Cairo (Casting Bullets)
While two mercenaries cast bullets and a third, seated behind them, seems to be inspecting one, others engage in revelry and a man and woman converse. Despite these apparent incongruities, the meticulous painting technique renders the scene convincing. Gérôme traveled to Egypt many times from 1855 onward. His recollections of these journeys, together with objects that he brought back to Paris, became ingredients for scenes which today might be regarded as historical fictions. The title of this work derives from the stock book of Gérôme’s dealer, who bought the painting from the artist in 1884, presumably soon after he finished it.
Artwork Details
- Title: Cafe House, Cairo (Casting Bullets)
- Artist: Jean-Léon Gérôme (French, Vesoul 1824–1904 Paris)
- Date: 1884 or earlier
- Medium: Oil on canvas
- Dimensions: 21 1/2 x 24 3/4 in. (54.6 x 62.9 cm)
- Classification: Paintings
- Credit Line: Bequest of Henry H. Cook, 1905
- Object Number: 05.13.4
- Curatorial Department: European Paintings
More Artwork
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Related Content
Timeline of Art History
Entries from The Met's art encyclopedia.
Publications
Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.
Free to download
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.