A temple at Karnak, by Charles-Théodore Frère, known as Frère-Bey

Charles-Théodore Frère, known as Frère Bey, was the eldest son of a Parisian music publisher, a fact which likely explains the connection with the family of Pierre, the owner of the château, which included a famous musician, Georges Onslow. Aulteribe’s painting, which is signed, appears to depict ruins in a dreamlike manner, due to the pallid colours and the ‘blurred’ effect of the background. However, the work can also be viewed as perfectly realistic in terms of atmosphere, capturing the sensory impact of the sight of the ruins of Karnak.

Like many travelling artists before him, Charles-Théodore Frère immortalised his memories – landscapes and the daily life of the countries he visited – using oils on wood panels, cardboard or canvas, depending on the materials available during his travels; this variety of media can be found on the art market. Despite a curiosity about foreign customs, the focus was less documentary in nature than in the^18th century. The painter sought above all to capture an atmosphere, a particular golden light that fascinated the so-called ‘Orientalist’ artists.  

This movement, rooted in Romantic aesthetics, celebrated an Orient that was sometimes—or often—transfigured, running counter to a quest for authenticity. These artists also faced competition from the rise of photography and sought to depict increasingly realistic landscapes.

Within this movement, Charles-Théodore Frère stood out for his depictions of Jerusalem, as well as Palmyra, Damascus and Beirut. His reputation was such that the King of Württemberg commissioned paintings from him during his first trip to Algeria, whilst the State purchased the painting *Les monts de Felfela*. His Oriental landscapes were exhibited at the Paris Salon, such as *Coucher de soleil au bord du Nil* in 1877.

Théodore Frère was a pupil of the portrait painter Jules Coignet and the landscape painter Camille Roqueplan at the École des Beaux-Arts. After completing his studies, he travelled throughout France, then to Africa and the Middle East. During his first year-long stay in Algeria, he was struck by the light and the colours shimmering in the sunlight. During a second trip, he settled in Algeria in 1836 and visited the walled city of Constantine. His first Orientalist painting was exhibited at the 1839 Salon, after which he devoted himself entirely to Orientalist painting. The painter continued to travel in 1851, staying in Constantinople, Malta, Greece and Smyrna, before continuing his journey through Syria, Palestine, Egypt and Nubia.

He eventually set up his studio in Cairo in 1853, became a court painter and was granted the title of ‘bey’, a Turkish title designating him as lord of his lands. Notably, he accompanied Empress Eugénie to the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, along with the painters Eugène Fromentin and Jean-Léon Gérôme.