Glowing under a moonlit sky lies the fabled city of Al Mashriq. A city of trade and splendour it has become one of the richest in the Moslem world as it occupies a strategic position at the junction of many trade routes and it is said that anything and everything can be found in the souks and bazaars of the shining city if you look hard enough. The largest hill is crowned by many richly decorated mosques from which you make your way through the bustling bazaars down to the port and all the entertainments that you would expect from such a place. High on another hill sits the City Palace famed for it's luxury and magnificent state rooms occupied by the dazzling court of Mashriq which can be seen at the right of the picture. It is said that the glow of the city lights acts as a beacon for those that are traveling towards it through the dangerous lands around the city roamed by tribes of robbers and plunderers drawn to the heavily laden caravans filled with the luxury goods that Madina Mashriq is famed for...
Well that's one story, maybe true maybe not...
Another Orientalist-inspired small painting that is potentially going up for sale on my upcoming slot in late July on Every Day Original. It was originally conceived to have just some lights but once I had put in the underpainting it became obvious that it should glow in the night sky from a multitude of them.
Oil on linen 16" x 12".
There is a short step-by-step progress through this painting including the colours I used in previous posts on this blog.
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