After Fossey, Algerian Street Scene with Moors, Kabyles, and a Moorish Woman and Child, 1845, Lithograph

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Algerian Street Scene – Moors, Kabyles, and a Moorish Woman with Child, c.1845 This beautifully hand-colored lithograph, titled “Afrique – … Read more Algerian Street Scene – Moors, Kabyles, and a Moorish Woman with Child, c.1845 This beautifully hand-colored lithograph, titled “Afrique – Algérie,” is taken from Le Monde en Estampes: Types et Costumes des Principaux Peuples de l’Univers, published in Paris circa 1845–1850 by Amédée Bedelet. Drawn by Fossey, lithographed by J. Bocquin, and printed by Lemercier, this series is among the most refined mid-19th-century French works illustrating traditional costumes and cultural types from around the world. This plate presents a vivid street scene in Algiers, capturing the lively diversity of North African society during the early years of French colonial rule. The foreground features a Négresse seated on the ground, wearing a colorful draped garment, while a Femme Mauresque et son enfant (Moorish woman with her child) walk gracefully past her, both wrapped in white haiks, emblematic of modesty and local custom. To their right stands a Juif (Jewish man) in a blue tunic and cap, a representation of Algiers’ historic Jewish community. At the center, a Maure (Moor) wearing a broad straw hat and flowing robes converses with a Homme et femme Kabyles—figures from the Berber-speaking Kabyle people of the mountainous region east of Algiers. Their dress is distinctive: the man’s green jacket and striped cloak contrast with the woman’s white draped garments fastened with a fibula at the shoulder. To the far right, an Arabe reclines casually in a shaded market stall, surrounded by baskets, ropes, and wares, observing the activity of the marketplace. In the background, arched doorways and whitewashed buildings with latticed windows evoke the narrow streets of the Algiers Casbah. The play of light and shadow, together with the variety of garments, textures, and skin tones, gives the composition both depth and warmth. This image reflects the 19th-century French fascination with North Africa following the conquest of Algeria in 1830. It combines ethnographic observation with Orientalist idealization, portraying cultural difference through costume, posture, and setting. Lemercier’s lithography captures these details with clarity and refinement, while the subtle hand-coloring brings the scene vividly to life. Condition report: Good impression with bright original coloring. Some foxing and toning confined to the margins, image area clean and fresh. Wide borders preserved. Framing tips: Best displayed with an ivory or light sand-colored mat and a gilt or walnut frame. A darker wood frame such as mahogany or ebony will enhance the warm earth tones of the Algerian architecture and costumes. Technique: Hand-colored lithograph Maker: J. Bocquin after Fossey, printed by Lemercier, Paris, circa 1845 See less