7/23/2019 Women of Algiers Essay Outline

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Ariana Lotfi

Romanticizing the Orient: A study of Delacroixs Women of Algiers

I. Thesis statement:Delacroixs Women of Algiersis an Orientalist painting shown through

his use of Romanticism of the painted subjects in addition to his fascination with the

foreign ualities of the !astern world"

II. !ugene Delacroix is a #rench Romantic Artist born in #rance"

$e was considered the leader of the #rench Romantic %chool"$e was a multi&talented artist and used a 'ariety of tools and methods"

$e had a great imaginati'e power( and used nature to help in his art"

III. Analysis of the formal techniues and compositional elements of the art"$is process began when he was in'ited to 'isit )orocco for four months"

*hrough his use of composition( color palette( lighting( and loose brush techniue

Delacroix acti'ely gi'es a sensual and serene tone to the painting"

$e 'iewed the subjects in their bright clothing as carrying a sense of charm anderoticism"

IV. +ontextual understanding: Romanticism and Orientalism"

Romanticism is an art mo'ement that originated in the late ,-th century( emphasizing

inspiration( subjecti'ity( and the importance of the indi'idual"Orientalism is the representation of !astern countries in a stereotypical way that is

regarded as embodying a colonialist attitude"

*he subjects were normal women whom Delacroix projected the erotic and exciting

nature of his warped !uropean perspecti'e on to"*hrough this perspecti'e( Delacroix romanticized the orient"

V. Other opinion: *he .omen of Algiers isnt considered an Oriental piece"/es it was" +reated from Delcroixs perspecti'e of the 0Orient1( westerners who painted

the Arab world are done through their biased eyes from being a citizen of a colonial

power2country"*hough he 'isited and saw the country first hand( it doesnt that mean that he now carries

an unbiased 'iew of the culture3 he still has his s4ewed perspecti'e because of where he

came from"

VI. *hrough his !uropean perspecti'e( Delacroix romanticized this part of the !astern world

by 'iewing the unfamiliar culture as exotic" $is life in a colonial power greatly

influenced how he 'iews outside cultures( and while his at&a&glance tra'els through 5orthAfrica ga'e him an inside loo4 at a new culture( Delacroix still was unable to sha4e his

colonial 'iew of the !ast and showed this through both his techniue and the way he

portrayed his subjects within the painting"

Bibliography

Jopp, Alexandra. "Romantic Orientalism: Eugene Delacroix Illustrated Egyptian Travel

Narratives. November 25, 2010. Accessed August 7, 2015.

7/23/2019 Women of Algiers Essay Outline

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http://bestamericanart.blogspot.fr/2010/11/romantic-orientalism-eugene-

delacroix.html.

6rideaux( *om" *he .orld of Delacroix( ,78-&,-9(" 5ew /or4( 5ew /or4: *ime(

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Rosenblum( Robert( and $" ." ;anson" ,8th&century Art" Re'" and