Title: Seated Arab Man with Horse
Artist: Alfred Dedreux (French, Paris 1810–1860 Paris)
Date: possibly ca. 1850–58
Original Medium: Oil on canvas

While his horse rests nearby, an Arab man sits before the walls of a city, relaxed yet alert. Although he is unnamed, his pronounced dignity may be an allusion to the Algerian military and religious leader ‘Abd al-Qadir (1808–1883). A foe of the French following their invasion of his country in 1830, the statesman eventually earned his adversaries’ respect for his courage, wisdom, and judgement. This man bears a general physical resemblance to ‘Abd al-Qadir, whose likeness was widely disseminated through paintings, prints, and photographs. Dedreux, a popular painter of equestrian subjects, made at least two portraits of horses belonging to him in the 1850s.

This image was sourced from public archives and carefully edited to ensure it prints at the highest quality.