Theodoros Ralli

The mysticism and spirituality inherent to Ralli's oeuvre is counterbalanced in the present work by the artist's pleasure in depicting the everyday life in Turkey. The composition of Turkish Woman Smoking captures perfectly the torpor of a hot afternoon on a dusty, quiet street. There remains, however, an air of exoticism and sensuality, encouraged by the female figure's casual yet provocative stance; her colourfully-clad knee partially obscures the view into a dimly-lit interior, illuminated by a glowing ember. Ralli's fascination with and fastidious depiction of ethographic elements defines both the artist's work and the qualities of nineteenth-century academic realism. 

The traditional composition, rich yet subdued palette, Orientalist theme and exquisite draughtsmanship reflect Rallis' schooling at the École des Beaux Arts in Paris under the tutelage of the pompier painter Jean-Léon Gérôme. Ralli debuted at the Paris Salon in 1875, was appointed to the jury of the Paris World Fair in 1900 and would spend the rest of his life in Paris, travelling regularly to the Middle East. This submergence within the Parisian academic salon milieu classifies most of Ralli's body of work, providing a framework for his deferential interpretation of primarily Hellenistic subjects.