The Treasure Chest 1920

ludwigdeutsch

museum

unusual home photography

figurative

building site documentary shot

street view

historic architecture

traditional architecture

culture event photography

speaker

showhome propping

historical building

Ludwig Deutsch’s 1920 painting *The Treasure Chest* depicts a scene of negotiation between two men in a richly decorated interior. The scene is set in a Middle Eastern or North African locale, a common subject for Deutsch. The artist’s meticulous detail is evident in the rendering of the figures' clothing, the intricate patterns of the rug and the chest, and the rich, jewel-toned colors. The work is a prime example of Orientalist painting, a genre popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries that idealized the cultures of the Middle East and North Africa.