Large Orientalist painting of a Moroccan woman by Louise Mercier

This exceptional artwork is a large, oil-on-canvas, Orientalist painting, variously titled 'Mauresque de Tanger', 'Moorish Woman of Tangier,' or simply 'A Moroccan woman reclining.' It was executed by the female artist, Louise Mercier, a French painter (1862-1925), making this beautiful artwork rare both for being painted by a woman, but also an even rarer Orientalist work, as very few works in this style are by female artists. (See here for a related important work, also by a female artist that sold at Sotheby's in April 2020.)

It was exhibited in the Paris Salon of 1883, and shows a calm, elegant, young woman reclining on a sofa with a leopard skin, holding a parrot or parakeet, in an enclosed space replete with msucial instruments, and various Arabian furnishings. Her dress is accurate for a Moroccan woman of the late 19th century, and the belt around her waist may well be a marriage belt of some description. Her jewellery catches the warm golden sunlight beautifully, lighting up the centre of the composition and the young woman's face and relaxed pose, while simultaneously exhibiting the wonderful textures and materials, and the superbly painted bird, that Mercier has captured with such great artistry and painterly qualities. 

The painting is mounted in a carved giltwood frame, and is signed 'Louise Mercier 1883.' Both a beautiful decorative artwork, and an important piece of late 19th century art history, this painting is an exceptionally rare and impressive Orientalist work, and a highly desirable acquisition for the interested collector.

Frame: Height 105cm, width 137.5cm, depth 9cm
Canvas: Height 77cm, width 108cm