Johann Hermann Kretzchmer (1811-90) was at the Academy in Berlin in 1829, where he taught Wilhelm Wach. In 1838 he went to Rome, and visited Sicily in 1840 and Greece, Egypt and Constantinople in 1841. In 1842 he returned to Düsseldorf, but moved on to Berlin in 1845. In 1856 he was appointed Professor at the Academy in Berlin. He painted portraits and genre scenes, but is best known for his scenes of oriental life, which have been much reproduced. The Royal Collection also holds the pair to this painting, Embarkation (RCIN 406257), and another work, Halt at the Fountain (RCIN 406261).

In a desert location with distant barren hills, an Arab man sits cross-legged on a mat, in profile to the left, a knife in his hand and provisions on the ground about him. His laden camel stands before him, with head lowered as it eats from its master's hand.