The First Kiss of Sunlight      

Jean-Léon Gérôme, French Artist, 1824–1904
The First Kiss of the Sun, 1886, Oil on Canvas laid on Board, 54 x 100.4 cm, Private Collection https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6438415

Characterized by Ackerman as “The most beautifully composed and painted of Gérôme‘s landscapes”. The First Kiss of the Sun was painted in 1886, six years after Gérôme‘s last trip to Egypt. https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6438415 (G.M. Ackerman, Jean-Léon Gérome, London, 1986)

So… Who is Jean-Léon Gérôme? Why is his painting The First Kiss of the Sunso beautifully composed and painted? What do we know about his artistic achievements? Let’s explore Jean-Léon Gérôme’s oeuvre … by answering some questions!

Nadar, French Artist, 1820–1910               
Photo Portrait of French Artist Jean-Léon Gérôme
https://www.artrenewal.org/Artwork/Index/33046

Who is Jean-Léon Gérôme? He is a prominent 19th-century French academic painter, sculptor, and teacher known for his historical and Orientalist works. He was born on May 11, 1824, in Vesoul, France, and passed away on January 10, 1904, in Paris. Gérôme began his artistic training at an early age, studying under Paul Delaroche, a renowned historical painter. He later attended the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he developed a meticulous and highly detailed style that characterized much of his work. His artistry drew heavily from historical and classical themes, often depicting scenes from ancient civilizations and mythology.

How and Why did Gérôme become famous? During the 1850s and 1860s, Gérôme gained widespread recognition and success for his paintings, which often featured archaeological and ethnographic elements. He was particularly acclaimed for his Orientalist pieces, showcasing scenes from the Middle East and North Africa, illustrating the exoticism and culture of these regions. He was a skilled draftsman as well, utilizing precise anatomical and architectural details in his work. His paintings were characterized by their careful composition, vibrant colors, and the depiction of intricate textures. He also explored themes of academic classicism, often depicting heroic or mythological figures.

How is an ‘Orientalist’ artist described? An “Orientalist” artist refers to a Western artist, usually from Europe or North America, who specializes in creating art that focuses on the depiction of the Orient. The Orient, in this context, typically referred to regions of the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of Asia. Orientalist artists were active primarily during the 19th and early 20th centuries, although the influence of Orientalism extends beyond this time frame.

Orientalist artists focused on portraying scenes, landscapes, people, and cultures from the Eastern world. These scenes often included depictions of daily life, historical events, architecture, landscapes, and various customs prevalent in the Orient. They often emphasized the exotic and romantic aspects of the Orient. Artists presented these regions as mysterious, alluring, and different from the Western world. The art was often intended to captivate and fascinate Western audiences.

Why is Gérôme considered to be an Orientalist artist? Gérôme is widely recognized for his artistic focus on depicting scenes, landscapes, and people from the Orient, particularly the Middle East and North Africa. He had, for example, a deep connection to Egypt that greatly influenced his artwork. This connection was primarily through his travels to Egypt, seven times to be precise, and his fascination with its culture, architecture, and history. Gérôme’s interest in Egypt is reflected in a significant portion of his body of work, particularly his Orientalist paintings and sculptures.

How is Gérôme’s painting ‘The First Kiss of the Sun’ best described? According to Christie’s, where The First Kiss of the Sun was auctioned in 2023, the painting dates from 1886, six years after Gérome’s last trip to Egypt. This is probably one of the artist’s most accomplished landscapes. It shows the pyramids of Giza suffused in the golden morning light of the desert sun. This view is from the west, as seen from the rising sun illuminating the summit of each pyramid. The ethereal appearance of the distant pyramids contrasts dramatically with the clearly detailed foreground. Moreover, the haze created by the sand and sunlight lends the picture an air of otherworldliness. The head of the Sphinx is just visible in the middle background. https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6438415

In The First Kiss of the Sun Gérôme provides a carefully detailed and beautifully rendered scene of the Giza Plateau, one of the most iconic archaeological sites in Egypt. Interestingly, the painting features the Pharaonic funerary buildings in the background along with a contemporary Bedouin camp in the foreground. The artist captures the soft and ethereal light of the rising sun, which casts a cooler, in my opinion, golden/violet glow on the ancient structures and the surrounding landscape.

How did Gérôme manage to leave a lasting impact on the art world? In addition to his artistic achievements, Gérôme was an influential teacher, serving as a professor at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. He mentored many aspiring artists, leaving a lasting impact on the art world through his teachings. Throughout his career, Jean-Léon Gérôme received numerous awards and honors, solidifying his reputation as a leading academic artist of the 19th century. Despite changing artistic trends, his work continues to be appreciated and studied for its historical significance and technical mastery.

For a PowerPoint Presentation of Jean-Léon Gérôme’s Paintings of Egypt, please… Check HERE!

The use of light and shadow accentuates the form and texture of the Pyramids, enhancing the sense of depth and three-dimensionality. Gérôme’s meticulous attention to detail is evident in the accurate rendering of the architectural elements and the presentation of the ‘exotic’ Bedouin camp site. The overall composition conveys a sense of awe and reverence for the historical and cultural significance of the site.

Theodoros Ralli

Theodoros Ralli, 1852-1909
Veiled Woman, 1889, oil on vellum, diameter 22 cm, ALPHA Bank Collection

“Art is ANYTHING you can get away with” Andy Warhol once said… How true is he when we consider the artistic oeuvre of Theodoros Ralli and his amazing Orientalism! A wealthy Greek ex-patriate artist, living between the West, mostly in Paris, and the East, Cairo during the cold month of winter, Theodoros Ralli is a true cosmopolitan of the late 19th century Gilded Age.

“A perfect Parisian type, wearing a beret à la Hermonville and a light brown vest with gold trim buttoned to the neck, still very youthful and of an open, jovial character, Mr. Ralli is a delightful conversationalist and very gallant.”

Not just so… Theodoros Ralli, born in Constantinople, at the crossroads of East and West, the mythical capital of the Byzantine Empire and the alluring EAST, was destined to become the most representative of the Greek, Orientalist painters. He was “the offspring of a wealthy family from the island of Chios, active in commerce in England and around the world.” Theodoros Ralli had no financial problems to pursue, unobstructed, his passion for the Arts. The photographs of his Parisian Studio that still survive today preserve his appearance and way of living. Documents of the period present him as a personality, and discuss “his courtesy, gentility, humour, patience, tenacity, smoking habit, love of Wagnerian opera, a weakness for watercolourists, aversion to long-term relationships, industriousness and his love for the fair sex, in Parisian Studios he had the nickname of Don Juan.”  All documents “reinforce the picture of a man who despite his genteel and fragile appearance, disposed of enormous psychic reserves, had an iron will and the perseverance to become what he had dreamed of becoming: a painter.”

The Artist’s Studio in Paris

Theodoros Ralli studied painting under the academic teacher and Orientalist painter Jean-Leon Gerome until approximately 1880, sharing his teacher’s aversion towards Impressionism and the avant-garde movements of the later 19th century. He exhibited, uninterruptedly, in the official French Salons, the World Exhibitions of Paris, as well as many other exhibitions both inside and outside France, winning medals and establishing international recognition. He travelled extensively to Greece and many Middle Eastern countries, drawing inspiration for his paintings. He kept two Studios, one in Paris and another in Cairo, where he kept warm and stimulated during wintertime.

Theodoros Ralli, 1852-1909
Veiled Woman, 1889, oil on vellum, diameter 22 cm, ALPHA Bank Collection

Orientalism in later 19th century Art is a tantalizing, multi-faceted, genre much loved by Europeans of the time. We can trace it back to the merchants of the Silk Road, the few adventurous Northern European travellers of the “Grand Tour,” or the Venetian Renaissance fiestas painted by Veronese, the Dutch Curiosity Cabinets, Rococo eroticism or to the many Odalisques that inspired both Ingres and Delacroix. Then we have to consider Napoleon, his Egyptian Campaign of 1798-1801, and the gradual European desire for… political involvement and colonialism. Whatever the cause of European curiosity and pathos for the East, it lingered for a long time, inspiring and creating great works of art. https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/euor/hd_euor.htm    and    https://www.artuk.org/discover/stories/inspired-by-the-east-thoughts-about-orientalism

For a Student Activity on Orientalism inspired by Theodoros Ralli, please… Click HERE!

Written both in Greek and English, this is a valuable source of information for the Artist: Theodoros Ralli, Looking East – The catalogue was first published on the occasion of the exhibition “Theodoros Ralli. Looking East” Benaki Museum, Museum of Islamic Art, 11th December 2014 – 22nd February 2015 https://www.benaki.org/images/publications/pdf/rallis.pdf

For Browsing through a collection of paintings by Theodoros Ralli, go to https://paletaart.wordpress.com/2012/07/09/%CF%81%CE%AC%CE%BB%CE%BB%CE%B7%CF%82-%CE%B8%CE%B5%CF%8C%CE%B4%CF%89%CF%81%CE%BF%CF%82-rallis-theodoros-1852-1909/