Beyrouth, Retour De Fantasia 1885 - 1890

Félix Ziem painted Beyrouth, Retour De Fantasia with oil, capturing a landscape bathed in light. The composition divides into earthy foreground and ethereal sky, with a body of water acting as a horizontal divider. Ziem's brushstrokes are loose, almost gestural, evoking a sense of movement and transience. Notice how the figures on horseback are rendered with a few suggestive strokes, yet they convey the energy of a returning procession. The colour palette, dominated by blues, greens, and browns, is characteristic of the Romantic tradition, yet Ziem's handling of light anticipates Impressionism. The painting does not merely depict a scene but also evokes a mood—perhaps a sense of longing or exoticism. Ziem uses form and colour to engage with themes of Orientalism and the sublime, filtered through a distinctly modern sensibility. Through this aesthetic lens, the cultural landscape becomes not just a subject, but a dialogue between representation and perception.