An Analysis of "The Snake Charmer" by Jeon-Leon Gerome and "The Blue Lotus" by Herge, their views of how the Occidentals viewed the Orient.
SAE Institute Oxford
An Analysis of ‘The Snake Charmer’ by Jean-Leon Gerome and ‘The Blue Lotus’ by Herge, their views of how the Occidentals viewed the Orient.
Clemens Khoo 16193 Qualification: BA / BSc (Honors) Degree Date of Submission: 23rd August 2013
Word Count: 3301
Introduction
The Orient till this day, continues to mystify and amaze us as well as strike fear in our hearts. From Disney cartoons such as Aladdin to portrayals of Arab terrorist in movies. Arabic peoples portrayed as terrorists has become such a reliable villain in Hollywood movies.
Media has played such a strong role in influencing what people conceive of a particular culture. Thanks to this, we have a pre-conceived image in our heads when someone else would talk about terrorists. But what exactly is the truth? Looking back, when technology has not been advanced, the only media available would be print media or through the eyes of painters such as Antoine Jean Gros, who was commissioned by Napolean to paint pictures of his conquests in Egypt.
In this essay, the author aims to analyze the works of Jean-Leon Gerome and Georges Prosper Remi, and their depictions of the ‘Other’ and the idea of Orientalism where an idea of what the east is like, interpreted by western eyes. How these two works have come to represent the contemporary view of how the Occidentals viewed the Orient.
Jean-Leon Gerome
Jean-Leon Gerome was born in Vesoul, France in 1824. He was a French painter and sculptor famous for his style of painting currently known as Academicism. His work ranges from historical paintings, Greek mythology, Orientalism and portraits. He went to Paris in 1840 where he studied under Paul Delaroche, who in turn was a student of Antoine-Jean Gros. He tried to enter the prestigious Prix de Rome in 1846 but was not successful due to his figure drawing being inadequate. (Cabrera, A 2010)
In 1847, Gerome did a painting of young
An Analysis of ‘The Snake Charmer’ by Jean-Leon Gerome and ‘The Blue Lotus’ by Herge, their views of how the Occidentals viewed the Orient.
Clemens Khoo 16193 Qualification: BA / BSc (Honors) Degree Date of Submission: 23rd August 2013
Word Count: 3301
Introduction
The Orient till this day, continues to mystify and amaze us as well as strike fear in our hearts. From Disney cartoons such as Aladdin to portrayals of Arab terrorist in movies. Arabic peoples portrayed as terrorists has become such a reliable villain in Hollywood movies.
Media has played such a strong role in influencing what people conceive of a particular culture. Thanks to this, we have a pre-conceived image in our heads when someone else would talk about terrorists. But what exactly is the truth? Looking back, when technology has not been advanced, the only media available would be print media or through the eyes of painters such as Antoine Jean Gros, who was commissioned by Napolean to paint pictures of his conquests in Egypt.
In this essay, the author aims to analyze the works of Jean-Leon Gerome and Georges Prosper Remi, and their depictions of the ‘Other’ and the idea of Orientalism where an idea of what the east is like, interpreted by western eyes. How these two works have come to represent the contemporary view of how the Occidentals viewed the Orient.
Jean-Leon Gerome
Jean-Leon Gerome was born in Vesoul, France in 1824. He was a French painter and sculptor famous for his style of painting currently known as Academicism. His work ranges from historical paintings, Greek mythology, Orientalism and portraits. He went to Paris in 1840 where he studied under Paul Delaroche, who in turn was a student of Antoine-Jean Gros. He tried to enter the prestigious Prix de Rome in 1846 but was not successful due to his figure drawing being inadequate. (Cabrera, A 2010)
In 1847, Gerome did a painting of young