The painting is described in the preface to the Eugène Girardet studio sale of Friday March 20, 1908 at Hotel Drouot. Critic and art historian Léonce Bénédite writes of "This old Arab on horseback on his bourriquot, laden with a heap of victuals destined for the coming market, charming the lengths of the road and exciting his valiant little mount, singing, accompanied on a sort of guitar".