In the 1870s, Constant traveled to Morocco with a diplomatic entourage. He kept a diary and wrote of his enthusiasm for Orientalist scenes. In this typical scene set outside the main portal of a city or citadel, Constant used rapid, loose gestural lines to suggest movement. Strong contrasts of light and dark convey the intense North African light. Constant was fascinated by not only the local dress and physical postures of the Moroccans, but also by the beautifully sculpted and patterned Moorish architecture.