Paintings with Oriental motifs always had success in the Salon. Fromentin painted “Waiting for The Ferry Across the Nile” when he returned from his journey to Egypt in 1869. He was invited to the inauguration of the Suez Canal. The Nile, the symbol of Egypt, is present in almost every one of Fromentin’s artworks from this period. He called the great river a “light-hued chocolate.” The accurate rendition of the ethnic details, the subtle harmony of colors, the cleverly captured southern light, and the nice composition make it possible to experience the atmosphere of the Arabic East as if frozen for eternity.