Addison Thomas Millar

ADDISON THOMAS MILLAR (Warren, Ohio, 1860 – South Norwalk, Connecticut, 1913).
“View of the Bazaar in Algiers,” 1911.
Oil on canvas. Relined.
Signed and marked with the artist’s fingerprint in the lower left corner.
On the reverse, the fingerprint appears again, accompanied by the letters “A,” “T,” “M,” and “II,” the latter two interpreted as a reference to the year 1911.
Provenance: Berko Fine Paintings, Paris, Brussels, and Knokke.
Measurements: 35.8 x 46.1 cm; 58.1 x 68.2 cm (frame).

A lively scene from the Algiers bazaar—one of the most characteristic and recognizable subjects in Addison Thomas Millar’s oeuvre—takes center stage in this painting marked by a distinct Orientalist sensibility. The artist constructs an evocative vision of everyday North African life through a nimble and luminous brushstroke, reminiscent of Impressionist sensibilities, capturing both the commercial activity and the exotic atmosphere that so fascinated Western artists between the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The open interior of the establishment, the merchandise, and the figures that enliven the composition allow Millar to recreate a picturesque image of the Algerian market. Rather than a strictly documentary description, the artist offers a romantic and evocative interpretation of the Orient, where an interest in color and lighting effects takes center stage. This is a theme deeply rooted in his career: after visiting Algiers, Millar repeatedly turned to views of its bazaars in both painting and printmaking, making them one of his defining hallmarks.

Of particular interest is the fingerprint stamped next to the signature, a personal touch that appears in certain works by the painter and lends the piece a distinctive charm. The same impression is repeated on the reverse of the canvas, accompanied by the artist’s initials and an inscription interpreted as the date 1911.

An American painter and printmaker, Millar began his training with Scott Evans in Cincinnati and later continued his studies in Paris under such renowned figures as Benjamin-Constant, Henri Martin, and Giovanni Boldini. His time in Europe proved decisive in shaping his artistic style: in addition to France, he visited the Netherlands and Spain and traveled to Algiers, an experience that would provide some of the most personal motifs in his body of work. In the late 1890s, he returned to the United States and settled in New York.