Jean Perrin (XXe) - Diptyque Scènes de la Médina

Jean PERRIN (XXe) — Diptych of Medina Scenes in Morocco — Pair of Gouaches and Inks

Superb and rare homogeneous set consisting of two original gouaches enhanced with ink on paper, executed by the famous painter and Orientalist Illustrator Jean Perrin. Presented together as a diptych, these two works offer striking vertical perspectives of stairway alleys, capturing with immense fidelity the architecture and bustle of the medinas of North Africa during the colonial era.

• The first gouache depicts a play of geometric shadows along high ochre-pink and blue-gray walls under a brilliant azure sky, where a blue gandoura-wearing resident crosses paths with a white-draped silhouette while a porter climbs the steps in the background.
• The second gouache provides a perfect counterpart centered on a street dominated by a majestic traditional green-emerald carved door. One observes a magnificent scene of life where a man in a white burnous and red fez watches a woman in a traditional haïk descend the steps.

The graphic style is characteristic of the sought-after talent of Jean Perrin: a line of ink of surgical precision inherited from his work as an illustrator, combined with the textured and luminous softness of gouache and pastel. The two works are signed “Perrin” at the bottom right.

Biography and Historical Context

Jean Perrin is a French painter and illustrator of the first half of the 20th century, whose career was deeply marked by his study trips in North Africa. A keen observer of the colonial era (1920s–1940s), he is particularly renowned for his illustrations and picturesque views of Morocco and Algeria. He excelled at conveying the intimate atmosphere of historic neighborhoods, souks, and scenes of daily life. Unlike the purely academic approaches of his time, Perrin’s work provides a modern, highly effective graphic readability, typical of great travel illustrators. His works are vibrant testimonies of the Maghreb, praised for their rigorous respect for ethnographic detail (traditional costumes, haïks, burnous) and architectural features (nail-studded doors, glazed-tile canopies, arched forms).

Technical data of the lot:

• Artist: Jean Perrin (Painter and Orientalist illustrator, listed)
• Era: First half of the 20th century (circa 1920-1940)
• Number of pieces: 2 gouaches forming a pair/diptych
• Medium: Gouache, India ink, and pastel on paper, mounted on their original cardboard supports
• Condition: Excellent conservation state, superb freshness of pigments and colors
• Signature: Each work signed “Perrin” with ink at the bottom right
• Dimensions of each work (excluding mount): 16.5 × 31.5 cm
• Presentation: The two gouaches are presented on their original brown mounting board (sold without external frame)

Careful shipment and tracking.