Orientalism

Ashok Patel Martha Vines ART History 101 March 25, 2008

Orientalism

The term orient is for romantic and misunderstood Middle East and for east and occident is for the west (England, France, and United States). Orientalism is study or scholarly knowledge of Asian cultures contestant, the source of its civilization and most recurring image of others. According to said, in his book “Orientalism” he argues that the west has made duality between the actuality of east and the romantic nation of the orient. They have seen the Middle East and Asia with Prejudice and racism, backward and unaware of their own history and culture. To fill this gap, the west has civilized society. The regions of the world East Asia, Central Asia, South Asia have penetrated European cultures for hundreds of years only in 19th century was this excessive preoccupation, given a unique identity. The Phenomenon called Orientalism comes from the term “ orient “, which refers to the landmasses of the world to the East, North Africa, the Middle East. Orientalism is a wall of ideas that separates the world in to two borders, namely the East and West, in which West is always dominates.

By the mid twentieth century, when many anticolonist movement were well underway It was clear that the West’s attitude toward non western our and cultures was extremely problematic. The field of post colonial studies come in to being with the publication of Edward said book Orientalism (1918) said argued that western especially imperialist, society defined themselves in opposition to the culture they dominated and were seen in contrast to the advanced, rational and benevolent societies of the west. Said’s observation applied equally to visual representation of colonies cultures, the post two decades, art historians, have researched the political as well as aesthetic significant of primitivism.

Among Orientalism artists, my favorite artist is Jean- Leon Gerome. He is well known artist. He has born in vesoul in goldsmith’s family. he was very talented student