Augustin Régis (1810–1884) - The great mosque In Algiers

Augustin André François RÉGIS
(Béziers, 1810 –Béziers, 1884)

Courtyard of the ablution fountain of the Great Mosque in Algiers

Oil on canvas
Monogrammed lower right
39.5 x 44 cm
1849/1850

Son of a jeweler merchant, Augustin Régis was born in Béziers on August 28, 1810.
Nothing is precisely known to us about his artistic training. We find him simply as an exhibitor at the Paris Salon from 1838 to 1847. He also exhibited a religious subject in Toulouse in 1840 and is then described in the booklet as a former student of the School of Arts.
He then left for Algiers where we find his trace in 1849. He will have a son with Louise Rogron (1819-1893) named Paul Auguste Régis who was born in Algiers on January 3, 1850
On his return to France, he married Louise at the age of 43 on September 14, 1853, in Clermont-Ferrand.
The artist died in Béziers on February 3, 1884.

Museum: Béziers, Chantilly…

Augustin Régis is best known for a painting currently held at the Condé Museum of the Château de Chantilly depicting the surrender of Abd-el-Kader on December 24, 1847.
With our painting, we are in front of a rare representation of the great mosque of Algiers which at that time was normally almost inaccessible to non-converts. The artist must therefore have had connections with the rector of the mosque to be able to set up his easel in the ablutions courtyard while he painted his painting.