Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art

About this Work

Morocco remained independent of European colonization longer than almost any other North African nation, only becoming a French protectorate in 1912. Even without a colonial infrastructure, however, Europeans and Americans traveled in the country as early as the 1830s. Artists were particularly drawn to Morocco because of its varied landscapes, its architectural beauty, and the diversity of its population. Denman Waldo Ross likely traveled in Morocco during his North African journey of the mid-1890s.
The location depicted in Ross's watercolor has not been definitively identified, but the horseshoe arch in the gate is typical of medieval Moroccan architecture. The impressive, crenellated towers and walls surrounding this gate may enclose the courtyard of a large mosque; the figures at the left are suggestive of a group of pilgrims or worshippers. Alternatively, the tower and walls may be city fortifications: the ancient casbah of Rabat is surrounded by similar walls.