Artwork
An Elderly Jew and a Muslim Tartar in the Crimea
An Elderly Jew and a Muslim Tartar in the Crimea is a graphite drawing by the Romanticist artist Auguste Raffet. It dates from 1837 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. This 1837 drawing by Auguste Denis Raffet is a watercolor over graphite on wove paper, depicting elderly men in traditional attire.
About this work
Overview
This 1837 drawing by Auguste Denis Raffet is a watercolor over graphite on wove paper, depicting elderly men in traditional attire.
Subject & Meaning
The work shows four older men, likely from the Crimea region, dressed in loose robes and turbans, with a focus on their faces and hands, conveying a sense of realism and lived experience.
Technique & Style
Raffet employed watercolor over graphite to achieve soft, muted colors and quick, sketchy strokes, creating a sense of depth and light, with an emphasis on capturing the subtleties of his subjects' features.
History & Provenance
Raffet, trained under Nicolas Toussaint Charlet, created this drawing as part of his work as a retrospective painter of the Empire period, reflecting his interest in capturing regional dress and cultures.
Context
The vague setting and traditional clothing of the subjects suggest a non-European location, likely the Crimea, which was a region of cultural and geographical interest during Raffet's time.
Artist & collection
Artist
Denis Auguste Marie Raffet (2 March 1804 – 16 February 1860) was a French illustrator and lithographer. He was a student of Nicolas Toussaint Charlet, and was a retrospective painter of the Empire.
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