George John Cayley, Pack Donkeys, Algiers, Algeria – c.1874 watercolour painting

An interesting and vibrant painting capturing a snapshot of Algeria in the second half of the 19th century by George John Cayley (1826–1878), who went to live in Algiers in 1870 to try to improve his health.George Cayley was an English eccentric who travelled widely, and was a gifted artist and accomplished metal-worker. In 1862 he collaborated on a design with the painter George Frederick Watts RA. Cayley dabbled in poetry and wrote a number of books, some of which he illustrated. He is also remembered as a significant early proponent of Lawn Tennis: a talented player, he worked on the development of tennis rackets and wrote an article on the subject for The Edinburgh Review in 1875.