Arthur Melville ARSA (1855-1904) Arabs returning from a raid, perhaps at Mosul Signed, with...

Reasonably light time staining to paper. There is an amount of thunderlfies/ small sized debris across the sky and trapped under the glass. The colour depth seems slightly down in some parts, probably contained to the lighter and more delicate tones. The flashes of red for example and the brighter stronger blues of the watercolour and pastel highlights in blue across the buildings remain in good order and vibrancy. However, some of the softer tones have potentially lost their original level of colour. Apart from the use of an orange paint around the outline of the buildings to denote the dawn, there is evidence of extremely pale and soft green and ochre coloured paint in the sky and this may have diminished in some of its clarity due to its orginal subtlety. Some of the gentler blues and greens within the lower areas of the painting could also be now showing with a slightly more grey hue than was originally intended. Overall however the painting colour remains effective and pleasing. There is a very small cluster of possible mould spots between the two main horse mounted protagonists. To the best of our knowledge this work has not been displayed for a significant period and has been in storage. Its overall condition is consistent with this. Not examined out of the frame. For any further information, please contact the department.

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