In the early 19th century such important and famous artistic periods known as the romantic and impressionist {link to Phoebe's Web Project} period grounded France as an artistic empire. Growing from the romanticism's taste for the exotic and foreign, sprouted a new theme of art: Orientalism. However, this fascination with the east was not only an artistic movement, but it was in general the curiosity with the Orient and a desire to freely express the exotic east through the eyes of European artists. This movement became very fashionable, a new trend that spread through Europe at a rapid rate.

Renior, Odalisque ("Femme d'Algiers), 1870

As the movement picked up more speed, artists from all over Europe voyaged to this foreign land, hoping to capture something missing in their own society. This desire is evident throughout the work produced from the period, which is mostly filled with images of wives in their house lying about, children entertaining others and enticing female slaves, opposite of the European society. Orientalism paintings did not portray the hard backbreaking labor, which many people endured, but most of the artwork was of social events, exotic and even erotic scenes. Nothing was remotely close to the dark atmosphere of industrial, poor, city life. The artists traveled to find a different world, capture it through their brush and then bring it back to display. Romanticists believed that these images would revitalize Europe's spirituality making the society more profound and meaningful.

The last of the great artists of the Renaissance and the first modern;" ---Baudelaire on Delacroix

 

"What makes men of genius, or rather, what they make, is not new ideas, it is that idea - possessing them - that what has been said has still not been said"

-Eugene Delacroix

Eugene Delacroix, made a name for himself in the early 19th century from his inspiring and controversial paintings, such as "Liberty Leading the People". Delacroix rediscovered the spirit of Michelangelo and Rubens, but the masterpieces that he created under the influence are of a very different kind. Delacroix's artistic influence on history as one of the first artists to step into the exotic and alien world of the Orient. His art portrayed more novel and exciting works, straying from the conventional portraits and topographical studies. Also, not only was his subject matter inspi ring and original, but his technique outlined what many artists latter copied as the quintessential Orientalism technique. Delacroix was named a master of color and his influence on Cezanne and Matisse is clear in their own work. In his own words:

"The work of a painter who is not a colorist is illumination rather than painting. If onbe intends somethings other than cameos, color is, strictly speaking, one of the foudning principles of painting, no less so than chiaruscuro, proportion and perspective...Color gives the appearance of life."

The Fanaticas Of Tigers

Delacroix's fantastic ability as an artist to unite allegory and history, and mold it all into a tumultous scene filled with mythological, historical, literary and realistic traits. He was able to convey the turbulent movement of brightly colored forms without disturbing the harmony of their arrangement and their overall composition in light and space. He applied contrasting colors with small strokes of the brush that created a particularly vibrant effect, invoking an exotic feel through the audience not only from the subject matter but also from the actual painting style and colors.

Not only were the scenes depicted of eastern life different than the European Society through surroundings and accesories, but the way women and men were exemplified was also different. Women were treated with an open sense of
sexuality, something missing in the rigid orderly European culture. Men were attracted to these paintings to view these obvious erotic women and how they acted in a different culture. They were able to fantasize of a world where women were at every man's beck and call, allowing them to escape into a mystical place through art. Something never truly seen before. Men were also intrigued by these paintings of Oriental life because although they were fascinated by these openly sexual women and the way in which men used them for their beauty, the European males were also able to look down upon these "inferior" people. They thought of them as savage and barabaric for acting so unorderly, displaying eroticism in public, especially with out shame. Although they fantisized about the Eastern world which was filled with sexual
women, European men did not actually in reality respect this way of life. This separate world is proven in the fact that never in any Orientalist painting is a white man or European figure present, except for the looking gaze of the painting. The Eastern culture was completely different and shocking to Europe that a Western figure in an Eastern world would of broken
the perfect image of in inferior foriegn place, void of any real practicalities or problems.

 

~Colonialism and Imperialism ~ The Romantic Movement

~How the Orient Came To Be ~

~ Orientalism: An Artistic Movement ~Delacroix's Pre Orient Work~

Delacroix's Post Orient Work ~ The Days After Delacroix ~

~ Bibliography ~

 

 

 

 

 

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