Small in size, but big in presence. This powerful portrait of an African boy is beautifully painted. The contrast between the white turban and dark skin gives the piece a certain tension. The boy doesn’t look at us, but his gaze is serene and confident.
Leopold Carl Müller is the main representative of Orientalism in 19th-century Austrian painting. He started his career as a painter of genre scenes and historical subjects, but his trips to Egypt and the Middle East had a huge influence. With great attention to detail and color, he captured the local people.