Merken magazine
Orientalist Paintings:
Western Fantasies and Colonial Narratives
Examining the Western Fantasies and Colonial Narratives in the Western artists distorted images and depictions of the Eastern life through exoticism, violence, and sensuality. This gallery highlights the role these paintings played in reinforcing colonial ideologies and shaping Western -Eastern power relations that are still around to this day.
During the Romantic period, there was a rising interest in the East regions and their cultures by Western artists, especially after Napoleon Bonaparte's invasion of Egypt, which attracted Western travelers. Both the artists who visited and some who interestingly did not visit the areas of the Orient, countries of Asia, and North Africa, portrayed what they saw, or did not see, in constructed images in their paintings.
These representations were fueled by the colonial discourse that expressed the Occident’s superiority over the Orient by describing it as exotic, primitive, and uncivilized. According to Edward Said, Orientalism is a "style of thought based upon an ontological and epistemological distinction made between "the Orient" and (most of the time) "the Occident." So, Orientalism is a discourse that facilitates colonization of the Orient lands.
At the time when Orientalism appeared, Europeans had little contact with the East. They were first presented to the area and the people through these representations and distorted colonial images. "The Orient," therefore, was marked, to this day, by an inferiority and exoticism that played the role of a pretext for colonial operations. Points of similarities, such as cinemas were not reported
The Start of Orientalism in Art
During the Romantic period, there was a rising interest in the East regions and their cultures by Western artists, especially after Napoleon Bonaparte's invasion of Egypt, which attracted Western travelers. Both the artists who visited and some who interestingly did not visit the areas of the Orient, countries of Asia, and North Africa, portrayed what they saw, or did not see, in constructed images in their paintings.
These representations were fueled by the colonial discourse that expressed the Occident’s superiority over the Orient by describing it as exotic, primitive, and uncivilized. According to Edward Said, Orientalism is a "style of thought based upon an ontological and epistemological distinction made between "the Orient" and (most of the time) "the Occident." So, Orientalism is a discourse that facilitates colonization of the Orient lands.
At the time when Orientalism appeared, Europeans had little contact with the East. They were first presented to the area and the people through these representations and distorted colonial images. "The Orient," therefore, was marked, to this day, by an inferiority and exoticism that played the role of a pretext for colonial operations. Points of similarities, such as cinemas were not reported
The Start of Orientalism in Art
Exoticism and Colonial Narratives in Depictions of the East
This gallery section presents a mini collection of Orientalist paintings whose aim is to reveal more than aesthetic beauty. They embody the Western perspective, fantasies, and colonial agendas. These are the Western attempts to use words like 'aid' and 'civilize' instead of 'distort' and 'colonize!'
Exoticism and Colonial Narratives in Depictions of the East
This gallery section presents a mini collection of Orientalist paintings whose aim is to reveal more than aesthetic beauty. They embody the Western perspective, fantasies, and colonial agendas. These are the Western attempts to use words like 'aid' and 'civilize' instead of 'distort' and 'colonize!'
Bonaparte Visiting the Plague Victims of Jaffa - 1798 Antoine-Jean Gros
An Orientalist portrayal of a Western leader as a savior in the East.
This painting was created to show Napoleon as a merciful leader in order to improve his image and deny claims that he had poisoned plague victims during his retreat from Syria. It also aimed to counter reports of French cruelty in Jaffa and was displayed at the Salon de Paris on 18 September 1804. The light and color are used in this painting to create a luminous aura that highlights Napoleon.
A Romantic statement that even violence is exotic and different in the East.
In The Massacre at Chios, Eugène Delacroix uses the horrors of war in several Romantic themes such as human suffering, uncontrollable violence, and extreme emotion. The painting, an iconic example of Orientalist art, dramatizes the brutal events while simultaneously reinforcing Western misconceptions of the East as a land of pitiless violence and chaos. Through this depiction, Delacroix contributes to the narrative of the inherently brutal East to appeal to Western fascination with conflict and destruction in foreign lands. This painting says: Western violence is better than the Eastern one.
The Massacre at Chios - 1824 Eugene Delacroix
Besides the previous painting by Delacroix, this work adds to the Orientalist view of the Orient, which was reduced to an image of a place of unbridled sensuality, willful violence, and extreme emotions. The details of the painting are almost disturbing, with unusual exotic sexual activities in the same space as a worker controlling his horse. These exotic images are the only images that were presented to the Western populations as a description of the East, which created a sense of superiority that haunts the Easterners to this day.
The Death of Sardanapalus
1827 Eugène Delacroix
The painting Arab Chiefs Challenging to Combat under a City Ramparts (1852) by Théodore Chassériau starkly illustrates the theme of violence and cruelty to depict Arabs as uncivilized. By showcasing a brutal confrontation between two Arab chiefs, with a dead soldier lying between them, Chassériau emphasizes the supposed barbarism of Eastern cultures. This portrayal reinforces the colonial narrative that the West's intervention is essential to bring order and civilization to the perceived chaos of the East.
Arab Chiefs Challenging each other to Single Combat under the Ramparts of a City - 1852
Théodore Chassériau
Antoine-Jean Gros never visited the East. However, he created The Battle of Nazareth (1801) as part of a broader propaganda effort to glorify Napoleon's campaigns in Egypt and Syria and help the imperial agendas. Despite the failure of the Syrian campaign, the painting celebrates a French victory, depicting the triumph of 500 French soldiers over 6000 Turks in a confrontation on April 8, 1799. Gros' work showcases Napoleon’s heroism, contributing to the mythic narrative surrounding his military endeavors.
The Battle of Nazareth - 1801 Baron Antoine Jean Gros
Slave Market - 1866
Jean-Léon Gérôme
Slave market captures the Western imagination of the East as a place of barbarian and moral decay. The painting depicts an enslaved woman being inspected by potential buyers in a women's market with her body exposed and vulnerable. This scene represents the East as a lawless, exotic land where human life is commodified and women are treated as objects. Interestingly, the painting does not critique the practice but rather sensationalizes it. The details heighten the voyeuristic gaze and sensuality inviting the viewer to participate in the spectacle. The Veiled women sitting in the background with children create a stark division. The viewer is led to assume that they are the buyers' wives waiting passively as their husbands inspect the slave. This depiction reinforces the Orientalist narrative that in eastern lands, women are either entirely covered and submissive as wives or objective and exploited as slaves, only two extreme sides.
The Orientalist message was that the Orient is a land of exotic beauty and sensuality, alluring yet primitive. The Eastern cultures are uncivilized and in need of Western intervention. The Eastern identities were reduced to simplistic, sexualized images of both the men and the women, and the Western interventions are aid to these populations and not imperialism.
The Orientalist message was that the Orient is a land of exotic beauty and sensuality, alluring yet primitive. The Eastern cultures are uncivilized and in need of Western intervention. The Eastern identities were reduced to simplistic, sexualized images of both the men and the women, and the Western interventions are aid to these populations and not imperialism.
The Harem Paintings A Fictional Portrayal of Eastern Women
Staying in the same theme of never seen it but surely can report on it, a perfect example is how Eastern women were represented.
In the 19th century, Western artists frequently depicted Eastern women, particularly those in harems, despite never having direct access to these women. The paintings often portrayed harem life as a place of sensuality and subjugation. They fueled stereotypes of the East as uncivilized and needing Western intervention. The Western men were prohibited from entering the private quarters of these women, which prevented them from unveiling their subjects, yet they relied on imagination and second-hand accounts to create their works. These depictions, filled with themes of violence and submission, were not only a reflection of Western fantasies but also served as a tool to reinforce colonial narratives. The portrayals of veiled women and exotic harems thus became a symbol of the West’s perceived superiority, masking the real impact of colonial rule on native cultures.
The Harem Paintings A Fictional Portrayal of Eastern Women
Staying in the same theme of never seen it but surely can report on it, a perfect example is how Eastern women were represented.
In the 19th century, Western artists frequently depicted Eastern women, particularly those in harems, despite never having direct access to these women. The paintings often portrayed harem life as a place of sensuality and subjugation. They fueled stereotypes of the East as uncivilized and needing Western intervention. The Western men were prohibited from entering the private quarters of these women, which prevented them from unveiling their subjects, yet they relied on imagination and second-hand accounts to create their works. These depictions, filled with themes of violence and submission, were not only a reflection of Western fantasies but also served as a tool to reinforce colonial narratives. The portrayals of veiled women and exotic harems thus became a symbol of the West’s perceived superiority, masking the real impact of colonial rule on native cultures.
Dance of the Almeh - 1863
Jean-Leon Gerome
Jean-Léon Gérôme's Dance of the Almeh (1863) exemplifies the Orientalist portrayal of Eastern women as submissive figures. The painting shows a young woman dancing in a Cairo coffee shop, and surrounded by male onlookers. Dressed in sheer clothing that reveals much of her body, she appears emotionally detached, her face expressionless. The men, dressed in colorful and local attire, enjoy the performance, while the woman seems trapped between them, symbolizing her lack of freedom. The painting suggests the Arab Woman's victim-hood, reinforcing the narrative of female subjugation.
Women and an Old Man in Harem - 1883
Walter Charles Horsley
Walter Charles Horsley's painting Women and an Old Man in Harem portrays Eastern women that he had never seen because simply he never had access to them. He used his imagination and second-hand accounts to produce his work. While the architectural details may be accurate, the depiction of the women is not. The inclusion of a blonde woman, whose features align more with Western ideals, highlights Horsley's limited knowledge and suggests that his portrayal of Eastern women draws more from his own society than from the reality of the harem.
The rest of the paintings keep the same narrative alive of reducing the women to a symbol of sensuality and submission.
The rest of the paintings keep the same narrative alive of reducing the women to a symbol of sensuality and submission.
A harem interior - 1846
Wilhelm Heinrich Schlesinger
L'habillage - 1895
Henri Pierre Picou
Murder in the Serail - 1874 Fernand Cormon
Piscine dans un harem - 1876
Jean-Léon Gérôme
The Toilet in the Seraglio
Theodore Chasseriau
Before the Verdict - 1890
Going through the paintings above, one can't help but notice a theme of sexualization marked with exoticism in the Orientalist paintings. This was presented to the West as the only accurate image of the East, one story that was reported repeatedly until it was instilled in the minds of the West and East populations equally.
Going through the paintings above, one can't help but notice a theme of sexualization marked with exoticism in the Orientalist paintings. This was presented to the West as the only accurate image of the East, one story that was reported repeatedly until it was instilled in the minds of the West and East populations equally.
In contrast to all the Harem paintings by men, this work is by a woman painter who, according to the culture, was allowed to get access to the Harem. This painting does not indulge in the exaggerated sensuality or stereotypes found in male depictions, but instead offers a more genuine portrayal of the women, capturing their lives with authenticity rather than relying on imagination or second-hand observations.
A visit, A Harem Interior - 1860
Henriette Brown
This gallery serves as a powerful reminder of how art can be used to shape perceptions of reality, serving propagandistic purposes and justifying colonial rule. Art can decide the destiny of a people and of history. The depictions of sensualized women, chaotic violence, and exotic settings were not innocent artistic choices but were deeply embedded in the colonial agenda. By portraying Eastern societies as exotic, primitive, and in need of Western control, artworks, besides many other forms of propaganda, fueled stereotypes that still echo in modern cultural narratives. If we look closely enough, we can find the fingerprints of this on our collective perceptions now. The remnants of these visual myths continue to influence how the East is perceived and represented in global media, politics, and popular culture. This gallery is an attempt to not only confront the historical biases of Orientalist art but also to reflect on its ongoing influence in our contemporary world!