Orientalism

(1800 - 1900) Following the conquest of Egypt by France and the subsequent takeover by the British in late 18th century, Western Europeans found a new interest in the Near and Middle East. The Orientalist movement began when artists began painting their experiences as they traveled to countries such as Turkey, Persia, Iraq, Egypt, Lebanon, Palestine, Arabia, and North Africa. The movement lasted about a century and captivated many of the major artists of the 19th century, who created detailed and realistic paintings of their new subject matter.