Eugène Fromentin was a French artist, although he is mostly known for being a writer. He was born on October 24, 1820. He wrote about art, particularly critiquing the Masters. His perspective was unique since he himself was an artist; his comments had a personal approach. His art, known in style for its striking composition, was often focused on the lives of barbarians and their animals. The dramatic scene in The Simoun accentuated by his brilliant use of light and shadow in the flowing garments and stormy clouds is a perfect example of this style. Notice the way he has placed the horses and their riders to the left of the painting. Not only is this composition choice loosely keeping with the rule of thirds (which suggests that a piece is most aesthetically pleasing when the subject is placed a third of the way across the canvas), but he is allowing the motion in the piece to influence the placement of the horses even on the canvas. You get a sense as you see their garments being thrust about in the wind that the riders struggle to move forward in its force. The space in front of them on the right side of the painting is left open; you can almost hear the wind as you see its effect not only on the fabric of their clothing, but on their placement in the scene itself.
Below are pictured Arabs and Souvenir d’Esneh.
