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Marius Bauer was sent to drawing school at the age of ten. According to his father, this was an indispensable part of his children's education. At the age of twelve, Bauer was accepted at the Hague Academy, where he initially took evening classes and later a day program. Despite winning prizes, he did not complete the academy and, disappointed by the rigid, academic way of teaching, he left at the age of eighteen without having taken an exam. Thanks to a grant from King William III, he was able to move into his own studio and attended the drawing evenings of the artists' association Pulchri Studio. During this time, he painted still lifes and scenes from high society, colourfully and sketchily depicted under the influence of the Hague School and French impressionists such as Degas. At the age of twenty-one, in 1888, he made his first major journey, probably prompted by painter-etcher Philippe Zilcken, who had been to Algeria in 1883. Bauer traveled by boat to Constantinople, where he became forever fascinated by the Orient. At the end of 1888, after his return to The Hague, he focused on making etchings that became known through the exhibitions of the Dutch Etching Club and with which he made an international breakthrough at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1900.
In addition to his numerous etchings, Bauer also made watercolours and oil paintings of Eastern cities, camels, elephants, snake charmers, belly dancers, caravans in the desert, Arabs and mosques. In his style, which can be described as impressionistic, he was influenced by the Hague School in both technique and use of light. The fairy-tale light that he painted reflects the enchanting attraction that the East had for him. The Arabic tales from the Thousand and One Nights seemed to be the greatest source of inspiration for Bauer's work, who is said to have found this 'the most beautiful book he knew'. In the period between 1880 and 1930, many painters drew their inspiration from the Far East, such as Willem Hofker, Willem Dooijewaard, Isaac Israels and Willem de Famars Testas. The latter and Bauer are the most outspoken orientalists in the Netherlands. After his trip to Constantinople, Bauer made many more trips to Spain, Russia, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, India, Ceylon and the Dutch East Indies. This was made possible by a grant from the Amsterdam art dealer E. J. Van Wisselingh. He made sketches everywhere on the spot and bought photos along the way, which he worked out at home into paintings, in which he always incorporated his personal observations.
In 1901, Bauer moved into the villa Stamboel in Aerdenhout, designed by his brother Willem, and the following year he married Jo Stumpff, one of the Amsterdam Joffers, who would accompany him on many trips.
Bauer was already a famous artist during his lifetime, receiving awards and being made a Knight in the Order of Orange-Nassau. His work was popular with collectors in the Netherlands, but also in the United Kingdom; his etchings in particular were highly valued for their high quality.
