Women of Algiers in Their Apartment

What you see

Three women rest on carpets and cushions in a closed room. The one on the left reclines on her side; the one in the center, wearing orange necklaces, sits cross-legged; the one on the right, a red flower in her hair, holds the hose of a water pipe. On the right, a servant stands with her back to us, raising one arm and turning toward them.

The fabrics are the liveliest part: reds, golds, whites and blues in embroidery and stripes, set against finely patterned tiles. Light comes from the left and leaves the back of the room in shadow. Look for the small cabinet with red doors at the back, the gilt-framed mirror at upper left and the signature in the lower right corner.