Theodore Jacques Ralli, also known as Theodorus Rallis (full name: Theodoros Rallis-Scaramanga; Greek: Θεόδωρος Ράλλης), was an ethnic Greek painter, watercolorist, and draughtsman, who spent the majority of his career in France and Egypt. He was born in Constantinople on February 16, 1852, and passed away on October 2, 1909, in Lausanne.

Ralli’s artistic repertoire encompassed genre works, portraits, local figures, architectural subjects, and interiors with figures and animals, but he is most renowned for his orientalist paintings. He was sent to Paris under the patronage of King Otto of Greece, where he studied under the tutelage of Jean-Léon Gérôme, a French painter and professor at the École des Beaux-Arts, and Jean-Jules-Antoine Lecomte du Nouy, both celebrated for their orientalist paintings.

Following his studies, Ralli embarked on extensive travels in North Africa and the Middle East, eventually settling in Cairo, Egypt, where he found inspiration for the romantic mysticism and suggestive sensuality evident in his numerous orientalist paintings. His genre paintings often depicted nostalgic recollections of the life and customs of his Greek homeland, portrayed with delicate and moving reverence. Ralli’s attention to detail, particularly in costumes and facial expressions, was a hallmark of his work, as were the varying light sources rendered in soft colors, such as rays of light, candles, or glowing embers in the fireplace.

Ralli’s first exhibition took place at the Salon in 1875, and from 1879 onward, he regularly exhibited at the Royal Academy in London. He was a member of the Société des Artistes Français, where he received an honorable mention in 1885 and a silver medal in 1889 for his body of work. Additionally, he exhibited his paintings at the Salon de Rouen and in Athens during the Olympic Games of 1896. In 1901, he became a chevalier of the Légion d’Honneur.

Following his passing, Ralli’s work was nearly forgotten, with most of his paintings residing in private collections and only a few in museums. However, in the 21st century, there has been a resurgence of interest in his work, leading to significant auction prices. Notably, his painting “Refectory in a Greek Monastery (Mount Athos)” was auctioned for 670,000 euros in 2008, and “Praying Before the Communion at Megara” achieved a staggering hammer price of £600,000 in the same year.

Ralli’s work can be found in the Greek National Gallery in Athens, the Louvre in Paris, and in Sydney, among other locations.