In the late 19th century a race for power commenced between the European countries as well as America, leading to the age of colonialism. Imperialism empowered these countries, dominating them through an expansion in their population, resources, boundaries and by also opening up a door to a new world. Suddenly there was an interest and opportunity in expanding one's awareness of themes and motifs from parts of the world not previously familiar to Europeans. Travelers from all over the occident began to explore the alien east, finding an exoticism and spirituality, which was missing from the European culture. An overwhelming feeling bombarded large numbers of Europeans who desired for a similar mysticism and holiness, void in their own society. Gustave Flaubert, a bourgeoisie clerk, wrote in his Bouvard et Pecuchet:

"Modern man is progressing, Europe will be regenerated by Asia. The historical law that civilization moves from Orient to Occident…the two forms of humanity will at last be soldered together."

These inspirational words motivated a rapid influx of people and most importantly artists to explore the Orient and take in their culture. Although the west was filled with money and success, these standards for society molded the European people into a shape, which felt suffocating and empty of any real spirituality. Mostly artists felt the need to go on a "pilgrimage" as if they were Christopher Columbus, treading on new land and ideas. These people were symbolic warriors, searching for new found themes, places and holiness which they would bring back through art to defeat the materialism and mechanism of occidental culture.

Edward Said, an influential professor on the effects and importance of Orientalism stated in his book Orientalism that its "…a way of coming to terms with the Orient that is based on the orient's special place in Europeans Western Experience…It is the place of Europe' greatest and richest and oldest colonies…The Orient is an integral part of European material civilization and culture. Orientalism expresses and represents that part culturally and even ideologically as a mode of discourse with supporting institutions…even colonial bureaucracies and colonial styles…Orientalism is a style of thought based upon ontological and epistemological distinction made between 'the Orient' and 'the Occident' …the basic distinction between East and West as the starting point for elaborate accounts concerning the Orient, its people, customs, 'mind,' destiny and so on…"

In Said's essay, he discussed how the Orient is just as importantly materialistically as it is economically. Through trade routes and advantages
to natural resources the Oriental colonies offer many things. But in another way, the idea of the Orient offers a mystical richness of culture and
spirituality that offers it self to the European culture once it has been conquered. The East since being different than the West obtains something
which Europes does not have, lending a large range of cultures to the society. Said explains later in his essay, along with LInda Nochlin, the
writer of The Politics of Vision,  that the Orient was created to not only rationalize colonization of other countries, but to make the people of the
West feel powerful, strong and most importantly, superior. With out displaying a sense of an inferior culture with in your own culture, there is
no sure way of knowing that your society is truly superior. Once Orientalism was introduced, paintings spread across Europe of a mystical place where women danced around naked and no one engaged in any work. For these "inferior" people this was a perfect life, and there was nothing more for them to do. But for the Westerners, the "superior" people, they had things to do, people to meet, money to make and a world to keep up.

~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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