Zahran frequently left his Cairo studio (Musafir Khana) and travelled throughout the country to paint Egyptian scenes en plein air. In the above 1996 landscape, Zahran paints an ancient Christian cemetery that’s located just north of Kharga Oasis - Al Bagawat.

Regarding commerce, Kharga Oasis served as an important trade intersection that connected Nubia with Egypt. Regarding faith, Kharga Oasis, was the exile home of Nestorius, who was banished to the remote oasis after being labeled a hertic during the 431 Council of Ephesus.