Maurice Barraud (Geneva 1889-1954), Woman in Orientalist Costume with a Darbuka

This large-scale canvas is a vibrant example of 20th-century Swiss Modernism, showcasing Maurice Barraud’s fascination with Mediterranean and Orientalist themes. The composition features a seated woman in profile, dressed in an eclectic costume that includes a striped headpiece, a red tunic, and a dark, gold-trimmed jacket adorned with stylized bird motifs. She rests an arm upon a darbuka (hand drum), suggesting a musical or performative context.
Barraud's style here is characterized by fluid, expressive brushwork and a bold, warm color palette. The background is treated with a semi-abstract, decorative sensibility, utilizing broad strokes of ochre, green, and cream to suggest a patterned interior or textile backdrop. The artist balances the structural lines of the figure with the organic, swirling patterns of the surrounding fabrics, creating a sense of rhythmic harmony that echoes the musical instrument at the center of the work.. Signed 'M. Barraud' (lower right) Oil on canvas , 80 x 100 cm