Algerian Water Carrier

Copied William Sartain, Algerian Water Carrier, after 1874, oil on canvas, 22 x 15 in. (55.9 x 38.2 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of William T. Evans, 1911.5.1
Free to use

Artwork Details

Title
Algerian Water Carrier
Artist
Date
after 1874
Location
Dimensions
22 x 15 in. (55.9 x 38.2 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of William T. Evans
Mediums
Mediums Description
oil on canvas
Classifications
Subjects
  • Figure male — full length
  • Occupation — domestic — water carrier
  • Algerian
  • Cityscape — street
  • Cityscape — Algeria
Object Number
1911.5.1
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1911.5.1

Artwork Description

William Sartain lived in Algiers for several months in 1874. He immersed himself in Arab culture, eating the food, studying the language, exploring the countryside, and even wearing native clothing. His sketches of the countryside, architecture, and local people became the basis for many images he painted later in America. This piece shows an alleyway with a man carrying a jug of water and a large bowl. The painting is typical of Sartain’s work, which showed intimate scenes of everyday life rather than dramatic monuments or panoramas.