Narcisse Berchère

This painting was well received when it was exhibited at the Paris Salon in 1876. Paul de Saint-Victor wrote ‘M. Berchère has been making his tour of Egypt for many years and he always brings back lively and original impressions. His view of Mahallet-el-Kebir is as luminous as a Marilhat. The river scintillates under a shower of rays, a mosque rounds out its cupola, a minaret soars like an ivory pole in the blazing air; and at the bottom, a crenelated bridge is transfigured by the sun into a kind of of radiant rainbow.’ Emile Bergerat also commented on the work ‘The View of Mahallet-el-Kebir, with its domes and minarets, its old port in the background and to the left the palace terrace under which boats are moored, is a luminous, fine canvas of the most exquisite colouring. One dreams of nothing at once more delicate and warm; the air trembles, laden with sunshine; the water laps gently, as if sleeping; contours fade into a pearly mist which is pure light; it is the East...’