Orientalism

Résumé du document

In the 19th century, a fad for the Orient appeared. The artists were inspired by its luxury, its mystery and of course, the supernatural that surrounded this part of the world. Orientalism is the study of near and Far-Eastern societies and cultures by westerners (first meaning). But it can also refer to the imitation or depiction of aspects of Eastern cultures in the West by writers, designers and artists (second meaning). The first meaning of the term is mainly used to refer to the study of the East during the period of European imperialism in the 18th and 19th centuries. Nowadays, when we talk about "Orientalism", it is mainly with regard to its second meaning, that is to say "Orientalism" as a pictorial genre. The first "Orientalists" were 19th century scholars who translated the writings of the Orient into English, based on the supposition that an effective colonial conquest required knowledge of the conquered peoples. This is the idea of knowledge as a power exposed by Said (a Palestinian scholar). Said thinks that by knowing the Orient, the West came to own it.

Extraits

[...] Lords of all the World. New Haven and London: Yale University Press Said, Edward W. Culture et Impérialisme. Saint-Amand-Montrond : Fayard Web Sites “Contexte Historique.” Lauret Hervé . “Orientalism”. Sered Danielle . “Orientalism”. Wikipedia . [...]

[...] Leyland, a wealthy ship-owner. He commissioned the American- born artist James McNeill Whistler to paint the dining room. The painting in the room is called "The Princess from the land of Porcelain". Depictions of the Orient in art We can find depictions of Islamic Moors (Moslems who lived in Spain in the Middle-Ages) in Medieval and Renaissance art, but it was not until the 19th century that "Orientalism" in the arts became an established theme. In these works, we find mainly the myth of the Orient as exotic and corrupt. [...]

[...] For the artists, Orientalism was a way of expressing their erotic fantasy. Examples of Orientalism in the arts Literature It is first through literature that depictions of the Orient appeared. Indeed, in 1704, Antoine Galland published the first French translation of The Arabian Nights. And in 1721, the Persian Letters by Montesquieu drew the public's attention to the East. But the depictions of the Orient that we can find in literature are sometimes romanticized and convey a false image to the Westerners. [...]

[...] Nowadays, when we talk about "Orientalism", it is mainly with regard to its second meaning, that is to say "Orientalism" as a pictorial genre. Who were the first "Orientalists"? The first "Orientalists" were 19th century scholars who translated the writings of the Orient into English, based on the supposition that an effective colonial conquest required knowledge of the conquered peoples. This is the idea of knowledge as a power exposed by Said Palestinian scholar). Said thinks that by knowing the Orient, the West came to own it. [...]

[...] However, Orientalism in the 19th century was not always representative of what and how the East really was. Many distortions and stereotypes existed, as we saw, and led to some criticisms from scholars like Edward Said. So, the Orient lost its mystery for a long time now, but it continues to fascinate since it is still in the heart of the debate nowadays. Works Cited Mc Dowall, David. An Illustrated History of Britain. Edinburgh: Longman Harlow and Carter. Imperialism and Orientalism. Oxford: Blackwell Padgen, Anthony. [...]