Nineteenth-century Europe was fascinated by the Orient. Napoleon's Egyptian campaign of 1798 initiated this phenomenon, and its history -- the most notable episodes of which include the Greek uprising against the Turks in 1821 and the French taking of Algiers in 1830 -- was closely linked to changing attitudes toward the "Eastern question." Artists of the period, too, were captivated by these events, and the rich body of imagery they produced is the subject of this volume. Incorporating much recent research, author Christine Peltre's elegant text retraces Orientalism's artistic history, in which the French and British schools predominated. Illustrated with more than two hundred expertly selected Orientalist paintings and drawings, "Orientalism in Art" is an indispensable volume for art historians and anyone lured by the romance and exoticism of Orientalist art. -- From publisher's description.
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