Student Artwork Guide
Copyright This work is in the public domain. Jean Leon Gerome Ferris died in 1930; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 2000.
In context
Cafe House, Cairo (Casting Bullets) — Jean Leon Gerome Ferris
The original measures 55 × 63 cm (height × width), drawn here beside an adult of average height.
Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 67 at death.
Painted when the artist was 21. The artist lived to 67. 1 of the 8 dated works by this artist in our catalogue came earlier.
Shaded: the lifetime of Jean Leon Gerome Ferris (1863–1930) ▲ this work, 1884 every dated painting, decade by decade
First works: up to 1884 Main working years: 1884–1891 Late works: from 1891
Those three bands split the works this catalogue has a date for into a first quarter, a middle half and a last quarter. They are not the artist’s complete output: a thin stretch may be a gap in the record rather than a quiet spell. The same years with the artist’s life laid along them
Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.
More works to set beside this one: originaluniqueart.com/en/art/similar/jean-leon-gerome-ferris-cafe-house-cairo-casting-bullets-D2ZTP8-en/
Measured from the image
Main colour
Phthalo Green #2b221c
Catalogued palette
These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour
The ten leading countries
Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.
Together these works take 100.0% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 40 works by this artist, of which 11 were looked at at least once. This painting has not been looked at yet in that time — it closes the list without a rank. The same counts, month by month
Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.
About this artwork
Cafe House, Cairo (Casting Bullets) — Jean Leon Gerome Ferris
While two mercenaries cast bullets and a third, seated behind them, seems to be inspecting one, others engage in revelry and a man and woman converse. Despite these apparent incongruities, the meticulous painting technique renders the scene convincing. Gérôme traveled to Egypt many times from 1855 onward. His recollections of these journeys, together with objects that he brought back to Paris, became ingredients for scenes which today might be regarded as historical fictions. The title of this work derives from the stock book of Gérôme’s dealer, who bought the painting from the artist in 1884, presumably soon after he finished it.
Artist and museum
Born in Philadelphia, United States of America
Jean Leon Gerome Ferris (1863 – 1930) stands as a singular figure in the landscape of American art history, primarily recognized for his monumental ‘Pageant of a Nation’ series—the largest undertaking of its kind by a single artist during the late nineteenth century. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Ferris inherited an artistic lineage steeped in tradition and nurtured by exceptional mentors; his father, Stephen James Ferris, was himself a portrait painter deeply influenced by Jean-Léon Gérôme, and equally captivated by Mariano Fortuny—a connection that profoundly shaped Ferris’s artistic trajectory. Growing up amidst this vibrant artistic milieu instilled within him an unwavering dedication to the craft, culminating in formal training at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and subsequent studies at the Académie Julian under William-Adolphe Bouguereau. Crucially, he encountered his namesake, Jean Léon Gérôme, whose artistic vision served as a cornerstone for Ferris’s ambition to depict pivotal moments from American history. As Ferris eloquently stated, “axiom was that one would paint best that with which he is most familiar,” and he chose to immerse himself in the narrative of his nation—a decision that yielded extraordinary results.
Early Influences & Training: Ferris’s artistic education began under his father's tutelage, alongside the mentorship of his uncles Edward Moran and Thomas Moran – both celebrated marine painters who championed a distinctly Romantic aesthetic. This formative period solidified his understanding of artistic technique and instilled in him an appreciation for dramatic composition and emotive expression.
Orientalist Beginnings: Like many artists of his era, Ferris initially pursued subjects rooted in Orientalism—a fashionable movement characterized by exotic landscapes and idealized portrayals of Eastern cultures. His painting “Feeding the Ibis” (1882), valued at $600, exemplifies this stylistic inclination and demonstrates a masterful command of color and detail.
The Pageant of a Nation: Ferris’s magnum opus commenced in 1895 with the ambitious undertaking to chronicle American history through a series of seventy-eight paintings—a project that would define his artistic legacy. Driven by an unwavering belief in the power of visual storytelling, he meticulously researched historical events and translated them into emotionally resonant depictions.
Ferris’s commitment to portraying history wasn't merely aesthetic; it stemmed from a conviction that art could serve as a vehicle for educating the public and fostering patriotism. Recognizing the limitations inherent in presenting individual scenes in isolation, he strategically partnered with publishing companies to secure reproduction rights—a decision that propelled his work into widespread circulation. Lithographic prints, postcards, calendars, and trade cards featuring images from “The Pageant of a Nation” became ubiquitous advertising mediums throughout the 1920s and beyond, ensuring that Ferris’s artistic vision reached audiences far beyond the confines of the art world. Remarkably, laminated reproductions of his paintings were still available for sale as late as 1984—a testament to the enduring appeal of his historical narratives and their ability to transcend time.
Ferris’s artistic style was characterized by a meticulous attention to detail, informed by Bouguereau's academic tradition yet infused with an expressive dynamism reminiscent of Gérôme’s influence. His paintings captured idealized representations of significant historical events—scenes from the American Revolution, Civil War battles, and explorations of the West—presented with unwavering realism and imbued with moral grandeur. Among his most celebrated pieces are “Napoleon in Egypt,” “Dancer with an Apple,” and “Painting Breathes Life into Sculpture”—each demonstrating Ferris’s exceptional skill in conveying emotion through gesture and posture, alongside masterful rendering of texture and light.
Jean Leon Gerome Ferris's contribution to American art history extends beyond his artistic achievements; he established a precedent for ambitious historical painting projects—a genre that had largely faded from prominence by the early twentieth century. His ‘Pageant of a Nation’ series remains an unparalleled achievement in visual storytelling, capturing the spirit of its time and cementing Ferris’s place as one of America's foremost chroniclers of history. Furthermore, his success in securing commercial reproductions ensured that his artwork continued to inspire generations of artists and viewers alike—a remarkable feat considering the challenges faced by artists attempting to disseminate their vision during a period marked by shifting artistic tastes and evolving cultural priorities.
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Look closely
Cafe House, Cairo (Casting Bullets) — Jean Leon Gerome Ferris
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"Cafe House, Cairo (Casting Bullets)" is attributed to Jean Leon Gerome Ferris.
"Cafe House, Cairo (Casting Bullets)" by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris is in the public domain - its copyright has expired. This status governs how the image of the work may be reproduced.
The Stats page of "Cafe House, Cairo (Casting Bullets)" by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris presents public visit statistics: monthly visits of this artwork, a comparison with the artist's most viewed works, and where its visitors come from.