Western Artists Have Approached The Orient At Various Moments With Perfectly Honourable Intentions And Genuine Respect - Research Paper Example

Download file to see previous pages... At the end of the paper the writer shall conclude by saying that the western artists indeed have approached the orient in a honourable and respected fashion, as the case ought to have been. Orientalism is a term, which is used in history fir the depiction of the Eastern art by the writers, artists, painters and authors belonging from the western countries. In order to understand the contribution of the western artists on orientalism, it is pertinent to understand the definition of orientalism. Following is the definition of Orientalism: “The countries of Asia, especially of eastern Asia.” Orient is the word, which has been given to the east and the art of the east, which consists of the Middle East, India, Turkey and North Africa. “Figures in Middle Eastern dress appear in Renaissance and Baroque works by such artists as Bellini, Veronese, and Rembrandt, and the opulent eroticism of harem scenes appealed to the French Rococo aesthetic.” The earliest indications of Orient Art in the western culture started to show up in the 15th century, when the renaissance movement had started. The intermingling of the Western people with the Asian and the eastern culture was paramount and fundamental towards the development of Orientalism. Beginning of Orientalism: “In 1798, a French army led by General Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Egypt and occupied the country until 1801. The European presence in Egypt attracted Western travelers to the Near and Middle East, many of whom captured their impressions in paint or print. In 1809, the French government published the first installment of the twenty-four-volume Description de l'Egypte (1809–22), illustrating the topography, architecture, monuments, natural life, and population of Egypt.” Once the French initiated orientalism, more and more European nations started coming forwards by taking interest in the culture of the Middle East and eastern Asia. The taste for orientalism manifested itself in European architecture, the building styles and the furniture. Orientalism has positively influenced the design and art of the European architecture. Orientalism in Architecture: The Middle Eastern style of architecture had a major influence and was a source of inspiration for the European countries, as well as motivating them to build similar style of building in their own countries. The Guildhall, London, is an important example where the British adopted the Indian style of architecture during the late 17th century. The Indian style of architecture was also known as Hindoo Style of architecture. Another example of the Indian style of architecture is the Sezincote house, which was built from the inspiration of the nawab style of Bengal. The intermingling of the culture of the east with the western adaptation had already started once the British invaded India. It is imperative to state that the British were heavily inspired by the tomb style architecture of the Muslims and the Nawabs, and that reflected in their sense of architecture design of the future. Apart from learning the influence of the Indian architecture, the Western people also took great influence form the Turkish style of construction, which was an integral part of the 19th century French architecture. French Orientalism: French orientalism kick started in the early 18th century after Napoleon Bonaparte conquered Egypt as part of his annexation agenda in Asia. The French invasion of Egypt has a great role to play to influence the French tribes and locals to start inheriting the Egypt form of art back to their home country. The major influence which the French took form Egypt was in the form of painting, especially oil ...Download file to see next pagesRead More