Orientalist paintings

Orientalist painting reached its peak in the 19th century, offering Western viewers romanticised and exoticised visions of the East, including Africa, the Middle East and sometimes Asia. This style of painting, often done in oil on canvas, depicts landscapes, portraits of women and men in traditional costumes, and scenes from everyday life, from bustling markets to the hushed interiors of harems. Throughout its history and evolution, with its renowned Orientalist artists, this art form has served as a counterpoint to realistic painting and academic subjects of a mythological or religious nature.

Origins and development of Orientalist painting

The fascination with the Orient in Europe did not begin in the 19th century, but it was during this period that Orientalist painting truly established itself as a genre. Napoleon's expeditions to Egypt and the development of travel and travel literature fuelled the Western imagination. Orientalism then became a source of inspiration for many artists. This movement was characterised by a fascination with the cultures, colours, light and themes associated with fantasised otherworlds: North African countries such as Algeria and Morocco, the Levant and the Ottoman Empire.

Orientalist artists sought to capture scenes from everyday life, landscapes, portraits and historical reconstructions on canvas, often painted in oil. The 19th century saw a proliferation of these paintings, with each artist bringing their own vision of this distant Orient. These highly prized paintings were then the subject of numerous exhibitions and auctions.

Major artists of Orientalist painting

Several artists have left their mark on the art of Orientalist painting. Eugène Delacroix is often considered one of the pioneers, with his trip to Morocco and Algeria in 1832, which deeply influenced his work, with paintings such as Women of Algiers in their Apartment. Eugène Delacroix's impact on the Orientalist style is therefore considerable.

Jean-Léon Gérôme, another pillar of Orientalism, is known for his precise paintings depicting scenes of slave markets, prayer and harems. His works, often oil paintings, are testimonies to the 19th-century fascination with the Orient.

Étienne Dinet developed a more immersive relationship with Algeria, even converting to Islam. His paintings, such as Slave of Love and Light of the Eyes, offer a more intimate look at Arab culture and Algerian women. Other notable Orientalist artists include Paul Leroy, whose works capture light, and Paul Pascal, known for his watercolour landscapes.

Iconic works of Orientalist painting

Orientalist painting of the 19th and 20th centuries offers a fascinating, albeit often fantastical, window onto the Orient. Several iconic paintings define this movement and continue to influence our perception.

One of the pioneers, Eugène Delacroix, marked a turning point with Women of Algiers in their Apartment (oil on canvas, 1834, Louvre Museum, Paris). This famous painting, with its light and sensuality, fuelled the Western imagination. Eugène Delacroix also painted The Death of Sardanapalus (oil on canvas, 1827, Louvre Museum, Paris), a scene that is both sensual and macabre, which became a paragon of Orientalist Romanticism.

Jean-Léon Gérôme created striking paintings, always with meticulous composition, such as his scene of the Snake Charmer (oil on canvas, circa 1879, Clark Art Institute, Williamstown) and his painting Slave Market (circa 1866, Clark Art Institute, Williamstown). The Gate of the El-Hasanein Mosque in Cairo (oil on canvas, 1878, private collection) is another of his influential works.

The work of Etienne Nasreddine Dinet, such as Young Girls Preparing for a Party (20th century, private collection), follows in this tradition. Slave of Love and Light of the Eyes (oil on canvas, 1900, private collection) and Fight around a Souk (oil on canvas, 1890, private collection) demonstrate Etienne Dinet's interest in Maghreb culture. His works, like those of Osman Hamdi Bey with The Turtle Trainer (oil on canvas, 1906, Pera Museum, Istanbul), bring a different perspective to Orientalism.

Also worth mentioning are Ludwig Deutsch's Prayer in Cairo (oil on canvas, 1906, private collection) and Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres' Turkish Bath (oil on canvas, 1862, Louvre Museum, Paris), which, although painted without any travel to the East, had an immense impact.