Pavement, Cairo
Medium
oil on canvas
Dimensions
overall: 48.3 x 58.4 cm (19 x 23 in.) framed: 68.6 x 78.7 x 7 cm (27 x 31 x 2 3/4 in.)
Classification
Painting
Department
CAB
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Joseph F. McCrindle
Accession Number
2006.121.1
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
In 1891, during a journey through the Middle East, renowned American expatriate artist John Sargent captured the vibrant street life of Cairo in *Pavement, Cairo*. This oil on canvas painting, measuring a intimate 19 x 23 inches, reflects Sargent's fascination with exotic locales beyond his famed society portraits. Painted amid the bustling markets of the Egyptian capital, it offers a snapshot of everyday urban energy under the North African sun, showcasing his skill in rendering diverse cultures with immediacy and vitality. Sargent, a master of Impressionist-influenced techniques, employs lo...
About the Artist
John Singer Sargent · 1856–1925
John Singer Sargent, born on January 12, 1856, in Florence to American expatriate parents FitzWilliam Sargent, an eye surgeon and medical illustrator, and Mary Newbold Singer, an amateur artist, enjoyed a nomadic childhood across Europe. His mother nurtured his artistic inclinations with sketchbooks and museum visits, while he received early watercolor lessons from German landscape painter Carl We...