Porteuse d'eau au Caire [Water Carrier in Cairo]

c. 1870

Félix Bonfils

Associated Names
Félix Bonfils

Artist, French, 1831 - 1885

The image shows the upper half of a person's body. The person is standing with their head slightly tilted to the side, balancing a large clay jug on their right shoulder. The person's face is partially obscured by a long, dark veil that covers the lower part of their face, while their eyes are visible and looking upwards. The person has dark hair that is mostly covered by a headscarf with a patterned design and multiple bands across the forehead. They are wearing a flowing, long-sleeved garment in a dark shade with a layered, textured appearance. Around their waist, there is a broad, wrapped belt, and their left hand is placed on their hip. There is no visible jewelry. The background is plain and neutral.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    albumen silver print

  • Credit Line

    Robert B. Menschel Fund

  • Dimensions

    overall: 26.8 x 20.2 cm (10 9/16 x 7 15/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    2004.87.1


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

(Lee Marks Fine Art, Shelbyville, IN); purchased by NGA, 2004.

Associated Names

Inscriptions

In negative, lower left: 582. Porteuse d'Eau au Caire; lower right: Bonfils. On verso, center right in graphite: 57 [crossed out]/ 46

Wikidata ID

Q64147588

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