Artwork

Loggia of the Summer Reception Room (Makad) in the House of the Memluk Raduan Bey, Cairo

Loggia of the Summer Reception Room (Makad) in the House of the Memluk Raduan Bey, Cairo is a watercolor work on paper by Frank Dillon. It is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

Overview

Frank Dillon’s watercolor depicts the loggia of the summer reception hall, known as the Makad, within the historic residence of Memluk Raduan Bey in Cairo. The composition centers on a stone façade featuring a broad balcony supported by columns, a series of arched windows, and an elaborate roofline, all rendered in a light, atmospheric palette.

Subject & Meaning

The work records an architectural element of Ottoman‑influenced domestic architecture in Egypt, highlighting the interplay between interior and exterior spaces designed for seasonal gatherings. The emphasis on the loggia underscores its role as a transitional zone for social interaction and ventilation in a hot climate.

Technique & Style

Executed in watercolor, Dillon employs transparent washes to convey the sun‑baked stone and the subtle gradations of shadow across the balcony. Fine line work defines the column capitals and decorative wall patterns, while the soft edges of the medium lend the scene a gentle, almost lyrical quality.

History & Provenance

Created by the British watercolourist Frank Dillon (Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours), the piece entered the Victoria and Albert Museum’s collection in the early twentieth century, where it remains part of the museum’s holdings on Middle Eastern architecture.

Context

The painting reflects a period of heightened European interest in documenting Islamic architecture during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Such works served both scholarly and aesthetic purposes, providing visual records of structures that were undergoing change under colonial influence.