The Imaginary Orient - Article Review Essay Example

The author of the article "The Imaginary Orient" - Linda Nochlin - justifies the topic by discussing the missing elements from the imagery of the Orientalist artists like Delacroix and Gerome. Her writing of the article aimed at dealing with the accuracy of the artwork as well as the absence of many aspects of life in the aspects of the Orient. In her article, Nochlin asserts how orientalism constructed its artistic representation of real life with the understanding and domination of western world values and expectations, shunning other cultures as lazy, unpopular, sexual and cruel. In her, work Nochlin claims that the works of orient display the mystery and picturesque presenting realism and accurate display. Yet, in her critic on the aspects of orient presented in the painting, Nochlin describes the works of Gerome and his likes to have exotic elements as the true presentation of images of real life in Orient (36). As she explores the nineteenth-century paintings she argues that political implications must be understood to bring out the actual meaning of the power struggle in existence within Orientalism.

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In her groundbreaking role as the pioneer of feminist art history, Nochlin stated the misrepresentation of female artists in Orientalism saying that only a handful of the female artists became known even in their households. Nochlin's critics go beyond digging up the forgotten names of prospectus female artists; to tackling issues that were of deeper concern to feminism movement in orient representation. In her bid to address women's exclusion in orientalism, Nochlin examined the institutional barriers hindering women from prospering in art. Societal exclusion and stereotyping of women in many public spaces and social networks like access to education and political offices were some among the many barriers women were facing in the society limiting their chances to even become great artists. While trying to build the names of principals female artists Nochlin helped improve the female image on the face of orientalism.

In the discussion of the "Snake Charmer" by Jean - Leon Gerome as oriental art reinforced to conceptualize the east culture in the absence of history. The painting captures a picturesque scenery of the eastern traditional performance that voluntarily draws its spectator gazing upon the audience. In her efforts to separate the eastern and the western perspectives of artistic representation of scenes to catch the attention of the viewer's Nochlin established stereotypic elements of the western the power and control over the Islamic culture. Another contributing element that drove Nochlin to argue on the absence or art against Gerome's "Snake Charmer" was the realistic element of the image's scenes rather than having the painting features. The eradication of traces of the paintings plane presentation denies the audience the clue of artistic work as the literal flat surface. This realistic technique employed in the "Snake charmer" promote a negative stereotype of eastern culture (44). Again, Nochlin describes the absence of history all over Oriental artwork because of the aesthetical appeal of timeless scenes to perfectly represent the western world. Artistic works lack continuity of a legacy and preservation of history.

Gerome's painting "Snake Charmer' manifest the controlling the gaze element with the ideology of masculine power over feminine nakedness. The way the audience reacts to the painting brings out the themes of sexism and male dominance over female subordination. Gerome is associated with orientalism with the primary theme elements to bring out the ideological male power over women violating the feminist movement of liberating women from sexual exploitation, sexual harassment, and slavery.

Works cited

Nochlin, Linda. The Politics of Vision: Essays on Nineteenth-Century Art and Society. Harper & Row. 1989, p. 33-59.