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Lot description
Joseph-Félix BOUCHOR (Paris 1853 - 1937) Medersa Saharidj, Fez Oil on panel 33 x 23.8 cm Signed lower right JF Bouchor Titled on the back of the panel Medersa Saharidj, Fès, par JF Bouchor 40 rue Guynemer Paris 6e and another illegible inscription. Madrasa Sahridj is one of the famous madrasas in Fez. Its construction was initiated in the 14th century under Merinid rule, near the al-Andalusiyyin mosque, by the heir to the throne 'Ali b. 'Uthman II, Abu al-Hasan (r. 1331-1348). The layout follows the ubiquitous model of the Merinid madrasas of Fez: a rectangular courtyard with a large water basin (sihrij in Arabic) occupying the center of the patio, surrounded on its lateral sides by galleries leading to student rooms and a large prayer hall. The carved stucco and glazed tile decoration is typical of the Marinids' transposition of Nasrid palace materials and techniques into a religious context. The contrast between the sumptuous ornamentation of the courtyard and the Spartan accommodation of the students in all Marinid madrasas may reflect the multiple functions of these buildings. Madrasas often served as mosques for their respective quarters and as settings for official ceremonies. They functioned as important centers of community life. The courtyard, the most public space in the madrasa, was therefore the focal point of ornamentation that emphasized the generous image of the madrasa's founder. An active painter in Paris, it was not until after the First World War that he undertook a long journey from Egypt to Morocco via Algeria, during which time he became close to Orientalist painters. The artist developed his subjects, offering portraits, but above all depicting the cities and monuments he visited. He illustrated several books, including "Le Maroc" by the Tharaud brothers and "Marrakech" in André Chevrillon's palms. His work is preserved in several museums, such as "Oued Séfrou", painted around 1930 and now in the Musée d'Orsay (RF 1977 95).