At a later point, Nochlin quotes Edward Said defining Orientalism: "a mode for defining the presumed cultural inferiority of the Islamic Orient..part of the vast controling mechanism of colonialism, designed to justify and perpetuate European dominance".
Nochlin feels that Orient studies and criticisms are not clearcut. Like all postcolonial topics, Orientalism also contains tensions that are constantly being revised and changed. She uses the example of Jean-Leon Gerome's Snake Charmer to outline some of these tensions.
It is a a "visual document of ninteenth-century colonialist ideology". However, Nochlin points out that both the boy and his audience are the subjects of this painting. The audience is part of the spectacle because we, the viewers, can not identify with the intensity and concentration that the boy's audience looks at him. We also can not identify with their placement within the frame- they sit opposite us, instead of amongst us.
Nochlin, using this painting as an example, outlines "absences" in depictions of the Orient:
1- History- Time stands still. Changes to the Western world are alien to the Orient. It lives in a constant state of stillness, a still picture complete with its people, rituals and traditions. The people in the painting know nothing of the historical and political processes that were taking place in the Near East. There is an absence of temporal change and of history.
2- Western Man- There is no depiction of the European settlers in such paintings. Nochlin says that such paintings exist because the Westerner's presence is abset. Thus Orientalist paintings show a world of timeless rituals and customs untouched by the West. However, the Westner's presence is implied in the controlling gaze.
3- Representation- Orientalist paintings, like Snake Charmer hide the fact that they are depictions/representations from the painter's subjective point of view. They are observances remapped onto the canvas. They try to convice the viewer that they are scientific reflections of the Oriental reality.
4- Art- Since Orientalist works aspire to pass for realist work, they refrain from reminding the viewer of the fact that it really is a question of art. There are no clues to the artwork as a literal flat surface. In other words, there is no human creativity. Gerome does this by making his paintings very real: by concealing the evidence of his brush and by emphasising authenticating details, often unnecessary ones.
5- Sense of Labour- Scenes of work and industry are absent from Orientalist paintings due to the Western view that the Islamic world is lazy.
Nochlin strongly asserts that Gerome's paintings are not accurate reflections of Orientalist reality, but arranged, subjective constructions of meanings.
Nochlin, using this painting as an example, outlines "absences" in depictions of the Orient:
1- History- Time stands still. Changes to the Western world are alien to the Orient. It lives in a constant state of stillness, a still picture complete with its people, rituals and traditions. The people in the painting know nothing of the historical and political processes that were taking place in the Near East. There is an absence of temporal change and of history.
2- Western Man- There is no depiction of the European settlers in such paintings. Nochlin says that such paintings exist because the Westerner's presence is abset. Thus Orientalist paintings show a world of timeless rituals and customs untouched by the West. However, the Westner's presence is implied in the controlling gaze.
3- Representation- Orientalist paintings, like Snake Charmer hide the fact that they are depictions/representations from the painter's subjective point of view. They are observances remapped onto the canvas. They try to convice the viewer that they are scientific reflections of the Oriental reality.
4- Art- Since Orientalist works aspire to pass for realist work, they refrain from reminding the viewer of the fact that it really is a question of art. There are no clues to the artwork as a literal flat surface. In other words, there is no human creativity. Gerome does this by making his paintings very real: by concealing the evidence of his brush and by emphasising authenticating details, often unnecessary ones.
5- Sense of Labour- Scenes of work and industry are absent from Orientalist paintings due to the Western view that the Islamic world is lazy.
Nochlin strongly asserts that Gerome's paintings are not accurate reflections of Orientalist reality, but arranged, subjective constructions of meanings.
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