Discover the Algeria of Etienne Dinet, passionate artist, at the heart of the IMA exhibition

Painter Etienne Dinet had a true love affair withAlgeria. This passion is reflected in the artist's works, and is on show at theInstitut du Monde Arabe, with the exhibition Étienne Dinet, passions algériennes, organized from January 30 to June 9, 2024.

Etienne Dinet is one of the great figures ofOrientalist art in the 19th and 20th centuries, and an important pillar of Algeria's visual and cultural identity. Born in Paris, Etienne Dinet soon turned to art, particularly photography and painting. Inspired by Delacroix and Rembrandt, the artist sought to get closer to reality, to represent the present moment, by studying colors, light...

He discovered Algeria in 1884, accompanying one of his friends on a scientific trip. For Dinet, it was love at first sight: he spent every summer there, immortalizing the oases of southern Algeria. In 1895, the painter decided that the Maghreb would be his sole source of inspiration, and eventually settled permanently in Bou-Saâda, the gateway to the desert.

Daily life, the Muslim religion, luxuriant nature and desert, young and old, men and women, dress and finery, relationships between individuals, joy, courage, violence, misery: Etienne Dinet paints reality, without hiding the horrors, without embellishing the beauty. All the elements that make up this country fascinate him; but the painter stays away from the fantasized images and clichés often used by artists of his time.

Involved in the political life of his adopted country, campaigning for the respect and rights of Algerian soldiers during the First World War, Dinet invested himself fully in themodern history of Algeria, becoming a key figure in its development.

Although little-known in France, Etienne Dinet is a major figure in 19th- and early 20th-century art. His works quickly catch the eye with their vivid colors, rich details and the poetry that emanates from these scenes... We remain captivated and fascinated by these views of Algeria, and by the story of this singular painter. The IMA exhibition is a real coup de coeur, and a wonderful discovery.

Come and discover Algeria through the eyes of the Orientalist painter, by visiting this unique exhibition at the Institut du Monde Arabe.