Orientalist art

Orientalist art refers to the depiction of Middle Eastern and North African cultures by Western artists during the 19th and early 20th centuries. These artworks often romanticized and exoticized the "Orient," highlighting scenes of desert life, harems, and traditional dress. While they provided Western audiences with a fascination for these regions, many works reflected stereotypes and a Western-centric perspective, sometimes misrepresenting or oversimplifying local cultures. Orientalism as an art movement is both admired for its technical skill and critiqued for perpetuating colonial attitudes and cultural misunderstandings.