Ludwig Deutsch (Austrian, 1855-1935)

Starting around 1910 Deutsch painted scenes of everyday Egyptian life by the Nile in a free style and began to experiment with Post-Impressionism. 'In these pictures women sell watermelons, draw water from the Nile or keep watch over their goats' (L. Thornton, Orientalism- Delacroix to Klee, The Art Gallery of New South Wales, 1997, p. 240). In the present work, Deutsch utilizes a technique of broad, thick brushstrokes and vibrant bold colors creating a beautifully composed setting, while still retaining the anatomical rationality for which he is renowned.