The Citadel at Cairo Seen from the Mokattam (La citadelle du Caire. Prise du Mokatam.)
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The Brooklyn Museum is commemorating its 200th anniversary by spotlighting 200 standout objects in its encyclopedic collection.
In his epic series The Life of Christ, James Tissot melds naturalism and spirituality across 350 watercolors that span the Annunciation of the birth of Jesus through his Resurrection. Tissot was a successful society painter in London and Paris who, after experiencing a powerful vision in 1885, devoted the rest of his career to depicting religious subjects. On trips to Egypt, Syria, and Palestine, he made extensive figure and landscape studies for his biblical project, believing this would endow his imagery with historical accuracy. Paid exhibitions of the completed watercolor series in London and several U.S. cities were a resounding public success, if not always a critical one. In 1900, the painter John Singer Sargent urged A. Augustus Healy, then president of the Board of Trustees, to purchase the series for the new Brooklyn Museum, which had opened just three years earlier. The Museum established a subscription campaign to raise funds from the public, enabling it to acquire Tissot’s religious magnum opus for $60,000.
Caption
James Tissot Nantes, France, 1836–1902, Chenecey–Buillon, France. The Citadel at Cairo Seen from the Mokattam (La citadelle du Caire. Prise du Mokatam.), 1886–1894. Oil on composition board, 14 7/16 x 20 5/16 in. (36.7 x 51.1 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Purchased by public subscription, 00.159.4. No known copyright restrictions (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 00.159.4_PS2.jpg)
Tags
Gallery
Not on view
Collection
Gallery
Not on view
Collection
Artist
Title
The Citadel at Cairo Seen from the Mokattam (La citadelle du Caire. Prise du Mokatam.)
Date
1886–1894
Geography
Place made: Africa
Medium
Oil on composition board
Classification
Dimensions
14 7/16 x 20 5/16 in. (36.7 x 51.1 cm)
Credit Line
Purchased by public subscription
Accession Number
00.159.4
Rights
No known copyright restrictions
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