Oil on Paper and Board
48x69

Leni captures an interesting scene of a quite common sight in Moroccan towns and villages: the figure of the storyteller. Men would gather round to hear old tales and stories, with this sometimes becoming quite a performance. The story remained the same but the rendering was improvised depending on the audience. Even though the depiction of the scene is quite schematic the artist has created a feel good moment of a captivated audience created by the figures huddled together close to the storyteller, so as not to miss a beat. The more abstract depiction, with looser strokes has sharp contrasts between the whites and reds of the clothing and the yellow ochre of the tellers outfit. Sharp stabs of lemon yellow on the horizon near the mosque draw the viewer's eye into the distance.