signed and dated 'Arthur Melville. 1897[?]' (lower left)watercolour Unframed: 74 x 53 cm. (29 1/8 x 20 7/8 in.) Framed: 87.5 x 66.5 cm. (34 1/2 x 26 1/8 in.)Provenance:Purchased by the current owner from these Rooms in 1997;Private Collection, London.Notes:Melville travelled to Egypt in 1880 and stayed in Cairo until March 1882, keeping a diary that is now untraced. From 1882 he was in Suez, followed by a voyage across North Africa and the Arab region. At one stage on his travels he also visited Baghdad and Babylon. He returned to London via Constantinople in August 1882. Based on comparison with similar compositions by the artist, we can assume that the present work is a view in North Africa or Cairo. His travels to the Middle East no doubt influenced his bold approach to watercolour painting. To create atmosphere and movement within his works, he layered pigments whilst the surface was still wet, creating a dynamic and fluid quality.