Georges Washington Art

An original signed oil on board by French artist Georges Washington (1827-1901) titled "Cavaliers Algériens au Combat", c. 1879. Hand signed by Washington lower left "G. Washington". A very desirable painting by the famous Orientalists artist, scarce. Framed with linen liner. Framed size: 14.5" x 11.75". Board size: 9.125" x 6.25". Painting is dark with age, only needs surface cleaning. In excellent condition, no chips or paint loss. Georges Washington was born in Marseille in September 1827, the artist was born out of wedlock and though he later stated on his marriage license of 1859 that his parents’ names were unknown, his mother is elsewhere recorded as Marie Besse. She however did not officially acknowledge him until 1868, by which time the forty one year old painter had established considerable artistic repute and had adopted the pseudonym Georges Washington, after America’s first President. Like most aspiring artists, the young Georges Washington moved to Paris, where he trained at the Ecole des Beaux Arts under François-Edouard Picot (1786-1868). Best known for his animated historical and battle scenes, Picot was to be the first major influence upon Washington’s future artistic career, instilling upon him a strong grounding in fine draughtsmanship and sound composition, which Washington combined with his own innate understanding for dramatic action. The artist’s exotic style was also indebted to his study and appreciation of the Romantic painters, especially Eugène Delacroix (1798-1863), whose Orientalists views were described with similarly brilliant and fluid oils. At the same time Washington’s art conveys a similar feeling to the work of Eugène Fromentin (1820-76) who often painted naturalistic Middle Eastern scenes...