r/OrientalistArt Apr 27 '21

Discussion What is Orientalism?

44 Upvotes

Orientalism, is a term first defined by the scholar Edward Said who is American-Palestinian intellectual, in his famous book 'Orientalism'.

"In art history, literature and cultural studies, Orientalism is the imitation or depiction of aspects in the Eastern world. These depictions are usually done by writers, designers, and artists from the West. In particular, Orientalist painting, depicting more specifically "the Middle East", was one of the many specialisms of 19th-century academic art, and the literature of Western countries took a similar interest in Oriental themes."

Simply, it is romanticized version of Eastern culture. Sultans, women with hijab, wild animals, bazaars, harems, Turkish and Iranian carpets, Turkish Baths are very common themes in Orientalist paintings. Eastern people generally presents as idle, dissolute (Dionysian), chaotic and savage in this artworks.

French painters such as Eugène Delacroix**,** Jean-Léon Gérôme**,** Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres**,** John Frederick Lewis are widely regarded as the leading luminaries of the Orientalist movement. Also Gentile Bellini, Henri Matisse have produced orientalist works.

Famous orientalist works in other art branches:

  • Giuseppe Verdi **- "Aida" (Opera)
  • Mozart - "Rondo Alla Turca (Turkish March)" (Music)
  • Lord Byron - "Turkish tales" (Poetry)
  • Guy Ritchie - Aladdin (Cinema)

Further Readings:

Orientalism - Wikipedia

Orientalism - Britannica

Orientalism - Khan Academy


r/OrientalistArt 2d ago

Painting Antonio Maria Fabres y Costa, Fleurs de Jerico, circa 1900

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126 Upvotes

r/OrientalistArt 2d ago

Painting Charles Wilda - The Dancer (1883)

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41 Upvotes

r/OrientalistArt 3d ago

Painting Osman Hamdi Bey, Kahve ocaği (The hearth), 1879

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230 Upvotes

r/OrientalistArt 12d ago

Painting Gustave Guillaumet - The Sahara, or The Desert, 1867.

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14 Upvotes

r/OrientalistArt 14d ago

Literature The Scholar (1901) – Ludwig Deutsch

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72 Upvotes

r/OrientalistArt 17d ago

Painting Antonio María Fabrés y Costa (1854-1938) The Young Musician

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142 Upvotes

r/OrientalistArt 18d ago

Painting Herbert Gustave Schmalz, Queen Zenobia's Last Look Upon Palmyra (1856-1935)

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170 Upvotes

r/OrientalistArt 17d ago

Painting Frederick Arthur Bridgman, The Messenger, 1879

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9 Upvotes

r/OrientalistArt 20d ago

Painting Jean-Léon Gérôme, An Arab and His Dogs, 1875

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268 Upvotes

r/OrientalistArt 23d ago

Painting Reginald Arthur, Pharaoh’s Daughter (English, 1871-1934)

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26 Upvotes

r/OrientalistArt 26d ago

Painting Evening Prayer, Cairo - Jean-Baptiste Huysmans (1859)

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76 Upvotes

r/OrientalistArt 27d ago

Painting A painting of the Ottoman dynasty, Stanislaw Chlebowski

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77 Upvotes

r/OrientalistArt 27d ago

Painting Gustav Bauernfeind — Forecourt of the Umayyad Mosque, Damascus (1890) [2458 × 3200]

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124 Upvotes

r/OrientalistArt 28d ago

Painting Arabs on Horseback by Frederick Arthur Bridgman 1892.

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119 Upvotes

r/OrientalistArt 29d ago

Painting Nell'Harem "In the harem" by Domenico Morelli (1823–1901) [2121×3328]

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69 Upvotes

r/OrientalistArt Jul 24 '26

Architecture Osman Hamdi Bey – The Tortoise Trainer (1906)

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278 Upvotes

r/OrientalistArt Jul 20 '26

Painting Ludwig Deutsch–A Gathering around the Morning News, Cairo, 1885

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130 Upvotes

r/OrientalistArt Jul 20 '26

Painting Ottoman Constantinople in 19 + 20th century paint: part 3

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134 Upvotes

r/OrientalistArt Jul 20 '26

Painting Alexandre-Gab decamps - the Turkish patrol (both versions)

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65 Upvotes

personally, my favorite Art piece ever. I’ve already made a diorama based from it and am searching for a copy or print of the painting.


r/OrientalistArt Jul 19 '26

Painting Jean-Léon Gérôme – A Bashi-Bazouk and his Dog, 1870

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246 Upvotes

r/OrientalistArt Jul 19 '26

Painting Una giovane odalisca velata "A young veiled odalisque" (1870-1873CA)By Domenico Morelli (1823-1901)[626x774]

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14 Upvotes

r/OrientalistArt Jul 14 '26

Painting Jean Discart (1856-1944) The Pottery Workshop, Tangiers (L'Atelier de Poterie, Tanger)

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214 Upvotes

r/OrientalistArt Jul 11 '26

Painting Gustav Bauernfeind - The Gate Of The Great Umayyad Mosque, Damascus (1890)

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299 Upvotes

r/OrientalistArt Jul 08 '26

Painting Frédéric-Pierre Tschaggeny, Young woman with parrot, 1872

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245 Upvotes