Street in Cairo c. 1920 - 1922

Editor: This is Rodolphe d'Erlanger's "Street in Cairo," currently residing at the Tate. It's a small piece, painted on a 178 x 117 mm support, and the brown hues create a really subdued, almost dreamlike feeling. What do you make of it? Curator: It's like a memory, isn’t it? The way the figures seem to blend with the architecture. D’Erlanger, a European aristocrat, had a lifelong passion for Arabic music. I wonder if this painting is less about topographical accuracy and more about capturing the atmosphere, the feeling of Cairo? Editor: So, less a depiction and more an impression? Curator: Exactly! A personal echo of a place deeply felt. It makes you wonder what sounds he was trying to capture, too. Editor: That’s fascinating. It really shifts my perspective.