Georges-Antoine-Prosper Marilhat Français, 1811-1847

French Orientalist and Naturalist Painter

Born on March 26, 1811, in Vertaizon, Puy‑de‑Dôme, Prosper Marilhat moved to Paris in 1829 to study under Camille Roqueplan. He first exhibited at the Salon in 1831, gaining recognition for his Auvergne landscapes.

Between 1831 and 1833, Marilhat travelled to Egypt—particularly Cairo—creating numerous sketches of ruins, rural and urban scenes, caravans, and falconry. Upon his return, he developed a distinctive Orientalist-naturalist style, exhibiting at the Salon through 1844, where he earned the Grand Gold Medal.

Later, he traveled in Provence and Italy, absorbing the light and atmosphere of southern Europe. Suffering from syphilis, he was institutionalized and died in Paris on September 13, 1847, at just 36 years old.

Marilhat’s body of work—marked by documentary precision and romantic luminosity—stands as a pivotal contribution to Orientalist art, celebrated for its evocative Nile and desert scenes.