Studio: international art (60.1914)

Sketching Notes in Tunis and Gabes

will find his palette needs revision, and that the
lightest and brightest colours, such as the cadmiums
and cobalts, white, garance, &c., can be almost ex-
clusively used. Nature’s subtone is here not a dull
grey, but rather a warm light fawn.

Quite close to Tunis town are the ruins of
ancient Carthage. Here the scenery is of sur-
passing loveliness, with the blue sea and distant
mountains, and the Arab villages of Sidi Bou Said
on a hill. But it is sound advice to the artist to
tell him not to linger too long in Tunis and its sur-
roundings, but to proceed soon to the south.
Tunisia is a land of imposing mountains of that
tawny African brown which the sunburnt earth takes
on, of shallow lakes reflecting wonderful skies, and
in the south, of the desert, the Sahara, unpeopled
save by a chance caravan of camels and drivers
straggling alone in the solitude. And in the middle
of the desert are oases, which
are the best thing Tunis can
offer to the artist. In all there
are about half a dozen of
these, and the artist should
choose between Tozeur and
Gabes. Tozeur lies in the
desert, but Gabes is an
anomaly, an oasis near the
sea. If he chooses Gabes he
will not be disappointed. It
is a fairyland of tropical
gardens intersected by
country lanes and streams,
and of walled villages built up
of Roman ruins. There are
camels and palm trees, with
a native Berber population
unchanged in dress, ways,
and habits since Roman times.

Here is the perfect south, the
northerner’s dream realised.

In the villages are little
market-places wrhere camels
kneel patiently waiting, and
where pedlars go round hawk-
ing a palm wine which must
on no account be tasted, as
it is a deadly brew. Just
outside the walled villages
is the oasis proper, where
the African soil that only
needs moisture is astonish-
ingly fertile. The palm tree
is the staple, but there are also
pomegranates, banana plants, a bedouin model

orange and lemon trees, with hedges of mud and
cactus. In the country surrounding Gabes, too,
many interesting excursions may be made. Here
are the matmata, where the natives live in caves,
and Djerba, too, the “ Lotus Isle ” of the ancient
Greeks.

Mr. Lehnert’s excellent photographs will give
some idea of the types to be met. A thorough
artist, he has devoted years to the making of a
splendid collection illustrating the country and its
people. In Tunisia especially the photographer
has advantages over the painter. He can snapshot
quickly, and has not to put up so long with the
discomforts of fierce sunlight and dust. But
whether as photographer or painter the artist will
not regret his visit to this country, “ where caravans
move on in the shade of palm trees and winter all.
in bloom outvies the springtime of other lands.”

PHOTO LEHNERT