African Archive

Alchitrof, Emperor of Ethiopia by Cristofano dell Altissimo

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January 23, 2017African Portrait PaintingNo comments

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Old paintings have their charm, but this one by Cristofano dell’Altissimo is more than just beautiful, imposing or appealing. It is all three, and revolutionary as well, because dell’Altissimo belonged to a time when Ethiopians were regarded to be a little different from humans! Moreover, the Ethiopia of then included other neighboring regions, from where western explorers had brought back stark stories and captivating descriptions of their cross-continental friends and foes. Dell’Altissimo’s work centers around the impression people started having about African kings when the world started its drive into “modern history”. The painter’s contemporaries had a beastly impression of African rulers and their subjects because of their way of life in a drastically different climate and geography. Although Europeans had not been there before, […]

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Portrait of an Arab by Horace Vernet

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January 10, 2014African Islamic Portrait PaintingNo comments

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In his time, painter of the “Portrait of an Arab”, Horace Vernet didn’t need an introduction, as he worked for the contemporary King Louis-Philippe and Napoléon III of France. Though, he is still remembered with an honor in art-communities. In early 19th century, he was renowned for his great artworks like Dog of the Regiment, Death of Poniatowski and Battle of Montmirail. His fields of interests varied only between portraits, Arabians and battles. And he didn’t want to paint in the traditional ways. He had grown a particular disinclination with traditional idealized ways of paintings. He wanted to draw things with more general touch and feel, instead of giving his subjects an idealized pose; he created his paintings with more vernacular manner. Thus, the viewer […]

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African Elephants by Charles de Tournemine

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July 27, 2012African Animal Painting Featured Art StoriesNo comments

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When a scene comprises all the pure natural elements, one doesn’t see anything else but the sheer, mesmerizing beauty in it. It’s like Mother Nature has cultivated its skills after years of evolution so well that the unbiased-by-human areas are still the most innocent, most secured and balanced lands, which should be left untouched. African jungles are one of those areas. Though, the jungle safari tours have affected the wild-life to a certain point, but still there are many zones left without any human connection. The represented painting could be a incarnation from one of those ‘safe-zones’ untouched and pure. The represented oil on canvas emphasizes the elements of calamity and sanity in every square inch from its original size of around 5 by 3 […]

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African figures dancing in a courtyard by Gustavo Simoni

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July 27, 201219th Century African Genre PaintingNo comments

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An African ceremony is going on in this painting as there are figures in customary attires and traditional instruments. Many people have gathered to see the show as the walk-ways are full of people. Even for the dancers and musicians there is very little space to perform. Though, in the depicted moment the central figures are gazing straight to us with ambiguous eyes. Thus, the painting is depicted as if it has been photographed by someone. Their gaze as curious and questioning as our minds are curious by looking their attires, tradition and unique style of gathering. Africa has been a backward country from the start due to the slavery and has been left illiterate in many parts. That’s why it’s centuries old customaries are […]

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