Christie's: 19th Century European Paintings, Drawings, Water Colors, and Sculpture: Lot 26
LEON ADOLPHE AUGUSTE BELLY* (FRENCH, 1827-1877)
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AN ARAB ENCAMPMENT OUTSIDE A VILLAGE signed "L Belly." lower right -- oil on canvas 18 x 26 in. (45.8 x 66 cm.) Belly's portrayals of the Near East were greatly admired during his lifetime. He travelled to Beirut, Cairo and Alexandria painting scenes of these cities. In a letter to his mother he described these desert landscapes, "The colours and contours of the landscape are breathtakingly beautiful... There are no words to describe the gorgeous colorings, the stunning harmony of an almost violet sky above the sand tinged with mingled purple and gold against a turquoise sea." In 1856 he travelled with Gerome, Berchere and Bartholdi to explore the Nile. During this trip he painted a series of small pictures that show a strong interest in color harmonies and light values. Our recently discovered work was probably painted during this first sojourn.
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Catalogue Information
Auction House
Auction Title
19th Century European Paintings, Drawings, Water Colors, and Sculpture
Auction Date
1996
