Horse market, Syria

After his first visit to the Middle East in the 1850s, Pasini made a speciality of painting picturesque street scenes based on his experiences of the life and architecture of the region. His technique became increasingly meticulous in detail and vivid in its rendering of the delicate eastern light. The treatment of light effects, notably on architectural features and the use of crisp colours are characteristic of the artist’s work. The artist had not visited Syria since 1873 and presumably based this scene on old studies made at that time.