Text by: William Richardot de Choisey Translation by : Sonja Smaldone Documentary credits Meeting of Museums & Private Collections
O
rientalism is mainly an artistic movement born in Western Europe around the 18th century, its magnitude as its vogue strongly developed during the following century. In this Magazine it aims to enrich the variety of contents and to present the topic through a presentation of Orientalist painters, they loved this culture beyond fascination like phantasms generated by the Orient they felt and vigorously
showed us how this exotic Nature was beautiful by the excellence of their work. All the museums in the world represent a crossroad of thought and artistic sensibility, the Orient is an undeniable cradle of history and religions, also full of architecture, literature as well as of music and poetry; but it is also a collection of places devoted to art that makes us discover territories and ancient civilizations, culture that feels good.
Napoleon And His General Staff by Jean Leon Gerome
Gustave Boulanger Coll.Mathaf Gallery
ThĂŠodore GĂŠricault - An Oriental Rider
Arabian Stallion led by Two Arabians to Breed by Theodore Gericault
Adolf Schreyer Coll.particulière
Lion Hunt by Horace Vernet
The Oriental world has always been aware of its importance, nowadays the past, the present and the future are still intertwined, not only did
The Slave Market by Otto Pilny Islam shape the modern East, it also initiated all the great artists of the world, making them perceive it in a romantic way with lights, colors in all their contrasts as they are in real life.
Automedon bringing back the Achilles steeds from the banks of the Scamander by Henri Regnault In 1893, many painters were able to participate in the first Exhibition of Orientalist painters.
Merchand of horses in Cairo by GĂŠrome Jean LĂŠon
Circassian at the watering hole by Gerome Jean Leon
Georges Washington Coll.Mathaf Gallery
Inspecting New Arrivals by Giulio Rosati
A major event highlighting exotic themes for a modern orientalism in painting as an extension of the classic one, the blossoming of this art had its hour of glory thanks to the pictorial engagement of many artists such as : Gustave Boulanger (1824-1888) - Frederick Bridgeman (1847-1928) - ThĂŠodore ChassĂŠriau (1819-
1856) - Benjamin Constant (1767-1830) - Alfred de Dreux (1810-1860) - Eugène Delacroix ( 17981863) - Etienne Dinet (1861-1929) - Eugène Fromentin (1820-1876) - Théodore Géricault (1791-1824) - Jean Léon Gérôme (1824-1904) -Jacques Majorelle (1886-1962) - Otto Pilny (1866) -1936) - Henry Pontoy (1888-1993 Henry Regnault (1843-1871) - David Roberts (1796-1864) - Giulio Rosati (1858-1917) - Adolf Schreyer (1828-1899) Horace Vernet (1789-1863) - George Washington (1827-1901). Among the most persistent themes of painting, the harem was often the source of erotic phantasies released by unknown countries, a theme widely exploited by Jean Leon Gerome. The many artists we introduced here were all
fascinated by their traveling as it led them to countless and rich discoveries that later we could admire in their works. These represent scenes of life in the neighboring countries depicting a human environment where horses played an important role according to a tradition that sometimes portrayed an Orient between reality and imagination. In this first dossier on Oriental art in painting, there is a perhaps real attempt to offer graphic representations by the work of some famous artists, each with domestic scenes, landscapes, animals or other subjects. Although rooted in past centuries, oriental arts continue to fascinate us.
Dancing Sunset by Otto Pilny