Texas art museum showcases French great's lost masterpiece

Eugène Delacroix, Women of Algiers in Their Apartment, 1833–34

Eugène Delacroix's Women of Algiers in Their Apartment will go on view in Houston on October 3.

Museum of Fine Arts Courtesy Photo

A lost painting by one of the greats of the 18th century, French romantic period, Eugène Delacroix, has not only been found, but will soon have a new Texas home at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. This masterwork, Women of Algiers in Their Apartment (1833-34) is an early version of Delacroix’s monumental Femmes d’Alger (1834), now part of the Louvre’s collection.

The last known whereabouts of the painting, which sold in 1850, and the story of what happened to the Women of Algiers remained a mystery for more than 150 years. Only in 2018 did the painting reappear when a Paris collector asked Paris gallerist Philippe Mendes to authenticate. The painting was indeed then authenticated by Delacroix expert Virginie Cauchi-Fatiga and then exhibited for the first time this summer at Galerie Philippe Mendes, Paris.

“After months of speculation about the destination of this truly extraordinary painting, I am very pleased to say that Delacroix’s first, long-lost Femmes d’Alger will have a public and permanent home here in Houston,” explained MFAH director Gary Tinterow, in a statement. “Women of Algiers in Their Apartment is a landmark addition to our collections.”

When Delacroix was 32 he joined a diplomatic mission to Algiers led by by the Comte de Mornay after France invaded North Africa in 1830. Invited into the homes of Moroccan Jewish and Muslim families, he sketched and painted scenes of everyday life seldom seen by his fellow French citizens. Comte de Mornay, who led the mission, would purchase Women of Algiers in Their Apartment from Delacroix but then sell it in 1850, when it disappeared from art record, until now.

The painting depicts the private sanctuary of the women and their maidservants who lived in the home of an Algerian official and reveals an intriguing story to be interpreted by the viewer. Both the Louvre painting and a third version of the scene now part of the the collection of the Musée Fabre in Montpellier influenced Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Picasso.

The MFAH has no intention of keeping this phenomenal acquisition private for long, so Women of Algiers in Their Apartment will go on view to the world at the museum on October 3.

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Airline News

Frontier Airlines adds two new destination cities out of DFW Airport

Frontier Airlines/ Facebook

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Low-cost Denver-based Frontier Airlines has launched nonstop service from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to two new destinations in Central America.

According to a release, the carrier will offer the following new flights:

Guatemala City, Guatemala (GUA) - weekly
San Salvador, El Salvador (SAL) - 2x/week

With these new routes, Frontier will serve 40 destinations nonstop from DFW, exemplifying Frontier’s impressive network growth as it continues to add more affordable and convenient travel options across the U.S., Caribbean, and Latin America.

The frequency of the flights is a little confusing. Guatemala City is "weekly" which seems to imply "once a week." San Salvador is "2x/week" which seems to imply two flights a week. However, if you try to book a flight to either city, you get all sorts of options, including weekends and a few randomly spaced weekdays. And the flight availability extends only through January.

Frontier Airlines VP of network and operations design Josh Flyr says in a statement that "there’s a lot to be excited about" including their expanding network and their rolling out First Class in early 2026.

Other changes at Frontier include UpFront Plus seating, an upgraded seating option with extra leg and elbow room in the first two rows of the aircraft, with choice of a window or aisle seat with extra legroom and a guaranteed empty middle seat.

To celebrate, they'll offer a fare sale starting at $79. Tickets must be purchased by 10:59 pm Dallas time on December 30, 2025. Sale fares are valid for nonstop travel on select days of the week January 5-April 13, 2026. Blackout dates apply on March 9 and March 31, and from April 1-6. And a 14-day advance purchase is required.

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