Orientalism in Design
“the far East”
“the far East”
In the 1830s the development of steamboat and rail travel, and the accession of Queen Victoria, meant the eastern Mediterranean world could be accessed relatively easily. This included: Egypt, Palestine and Turkey. Theses predominantly Muslim areas then became known as the Orient or "the far East". British artists then soon travelled, spreading across the world in search of new and exotic subjects and developed imagery which captured what they believed to be characteristic of the people, cities and landscapes of the region. Those who went to the Middle East became known as Orientalists. In many of these works, they portrayed the Orient as exotic, colorful and sensual.
Fashion
Before 1830s private travel to the Middle East was rare; but travel for warfare, diplomacy, trade and religion had been going on for centuries. Those who travelled adopted a 'Oriental costume' fashion style. It made them feel safer, incognito, or even committed solidarity when researching. When they returned to the mainland they brought back these adoptions and the purchases they had made, the style was different, exciting, exotic and fashionable. The fashion spread and cropped up amongst juxtaposed western designs.
Mrs Elizabeth Young in Eastern Costume, 1841
Art and Politics
In the nineteenth century, when more artists traveled to the Middle East, they began representing more numerous scenes of Oriental culture. British artists came from a culture steeped in technical and compositional traditions. Despite the apparent difference of the people and places they encountered, they found the Orient inspiring and challenging and began to try to unravel the new culture.
In 1978, Edward Said, Palestinian-American scholar, published his dissertation on Orientalism. His publications had sparked global debates over western representations of the Middle East. He described the current work interpreting the East, by Western academics and artists, as prejudice and shaped by the attitudes of European imperialism.
For many, Said’s overview is agreed with and the representations in artworks are now classed as fiction and the artists works were created to serve the western desire for control over the East. An argument supported by the next steps in history which saw, by the 1920s, Britain in direct control of much of the newly-abolished Ottoman Empire, including Egypt, Palestine and Iraq.
Below are a few examples of painting produced during the 18th and 19th century that are considered examples of Orientalism. Work that cannot be viewed in isolation from their wider political and cultural context.
William Holman Hunt
The Lantern Maker's Courtship (1854-57)
Eugène Delacroix
The Women of Algiers
The picture is of inside The Harem; a room in a household which was forbidden to men. In reality to women would be rushing around within the area getting ready etc. However the Western depiction of the scene was often sexual. Above the woman are lounging around in an attractive relaxed tone waiting to be called upon by the men.
In Said's Orientalism, he brings forth the issues relating to the sexual and sensual nature of many Oriental artists. With the "European invention" Middle Eastern women are often depicted as sensual creatures whose only use was to be sexual slaves to men. The painting above is more respectable then some example where women at Turkish baths are having sexual orgies or preparing themselves in sexual positions. This is a degrading portral of the East.
Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres
La Grande Odalisque
In the painting lays a lounging odalisque, a woman slave, stressed both lassitude and as a visual spectacle. From a political concept the paintings could be seen as deeming as the exotic woman of the Orient had given herself up for the white man as he did his study.
In 1978, Edward Said, Palestinian-American scholar, published his dissertation on Orientalism. His publications had sparked global debates over western representations of the Middle East. He described the current work interpreting the East, by Western academics and artists, as prejudice and shaped by the attitudes of European imperialism.
For many, Said’s overview is agreed with and the representations in artworks are now classed as fiction and the artists works were created to serve the western desire for control over the East. An argument supported by the next steps in history which saw, by the 1920s, Britain in direct control of much of the newly-abolished Ottoman Empire, including Egypt, Palestine and Iraq.
Below are a few examples of painting produced during the 18th and 19th century that are considered examples of Orientalism. Work that cannot be viewed in isolation from their wider political and cultural context.
William Holman HuntThe Lantern Maker's Courtship (1854-57)
In the painting, a lantern maker feels a woman's face through her veil, without removing it.
I feel in this picture the Latern maker is portraying the feelings of the young British painters desire to touch rather then an observed scene from the Far East. It shows European colonialism’s desire to unveil the Muslim woman from their strict Hijab dress code. The traditional Muslim dress covered most of the skin, however desire developed because underneath the one layer that the women wore, they were less bound then the constricting western style of dress which included corsets.
Eugène DelacroixThe Women of Algiers
The picture is of inside The Harem; a room in a household which was forbidden to men. In reality to women would be rushing around within the area getting ready etc. However the Western depiction of the scene was often sexual. Above the woman are lounging around in an attractive relaxed tone waiting to be called upon by the men.
In Said's Orientalism, he brings forth the issues relating to the sexual and sensual nature of many Oriental artists. With the "European invention" Middle Eastern women are often depicted as sensual creatures whose only use was to be sexual slaves to men. The painting above is more respectable then some example where women at Turkish baths are having sexual orgies or preparing themselves in sexual positions. This is a degrading portral of the East.
Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres
La Grande Odalisque
In the painting lays a lounging odalisque, a woman slave, stressed both lassitude and as a visual spectacle. From a political concept the paintings could be seen as deeming as the exotic woman of the Orient had given herself up for the white man as he did his study.
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