Scene of Algiers

About this artwork

Henry Ossawa Tanner went to Algeria in the winter of 1908, where he encountered many of these scenes. The French government subsidized artists who traveled to its colonies, and this incentive may have encouraged Tanner to visit Algeria. (Mosby, Henry Ossawa Tanner, 1991) In this painting the loose brushwork and patches of color suggest trees, hills, and a faintly discernible human figure.

Art Historical Context

Henry Ossawa Tanner, a African American artist renowned for his luminous landscapes and biblical scenes, captured the exotic allure of North Africa in *Scene of Algiers*. the winter of 1908, Tanner traveled to Algeria, a French colony at the time, where he immersed himself in its vibrant scenery. The French government offered subsidies to artists exploring its colonial territories, likely incentivizing Tanner's journey and enriching his oeuvre with Orientalist-inspired works. This undated painting evokes the hazy beauty of Algerian hills, trees, and a subtle human presence through Tanner's ma...