This private tour will take you on a magical journey through the Louvre and the Orsay to see some of the most iconic works of Orientalism.

 

You’ll traverse three centuries of art and history, beginning in the 17th century. It is at this time that Europe first discovered the enchanting tales of One Thousand and One Nights. This led to Turqueries, whimsical depictions of Turkish palaces and Oriental princesses.

 

Then, you will discover Chateaubriand’s passionate writings on Palestine, which deeply influenced the artists of his time.

 

Next, you’ll relive Bonaparte’s 1798 expedition to Egypt and Syria, immortalized by Antoine-Jean Gros in the famous painting Bonaparte Visiting the Plague Victims of Jaffa.

 

Finally, you’ll follow the footsteps of the 19th-century artist-travelers who ventured into the Orient after the conquest of Algeria in 1830. These include the likes of Delacroix, Chassériau, Fromentin, and many others.

 

Fascinated by Egypt, Palestine, Lebanon, or Constantinople, these painters sought to rediscover the cultural roots of the West, the mythical biblical lands, or an imaginary, sensual, idealized Orient. Armed with sketchbooks and bringing back daggers, jewelry, and musical instruments, they recreated in Paris an Orient filled with fantasy and exotic dreams.