Description
Women as Portrayed in Orientalist Painting
Lynne Thornton’s book, Women as Portrayed in Orientalist Painting, explores the Western artistic fantasy of “Oriental” women, focusing on the harem as a central, misunderstood theme, and showcasing over 150 artists who depicted these women in various roles like seductresses, figures of everyday life, and participants in ceremonies, blending reality with imagination. The book analyzes how European painters, from the 18th to the 20th century, created an exoticized and often eroticized vision of women from the Middle East and North Africa, contrasting it with the actual lives of these women.
Key themes in the book:
The Harem:
A major focus, presented as a place of mystery, sensuality, and confinement, fueled by Western imagination rather than reality.
Exoticism and Fantasy:
The book highlights how artists used the “Orient” as a canvas for their own romantic and often sexualized fantasies, creating an idealized and stereotypical image.
Variety of Portrayals:
Beyond the harem, it covers women in daily life, ceremonies, as beauties, and in tragic situations, showcasing a wide range of artistic interpretations.
Artistic Scope:
It features works from both famous and lesser-known painters, providing a comprehensive visual survey.
Content and structure:
Chapters:
Organized around themes like “Lure of the East,” “Pleasures of life,” “Beauty,” “Seduction,” and “Everyday life”.
A heavily illustrated book, bringing together numerous examples of Orientalist art.
