Oriental Dreams

In the 19^th century, many European painters went beyond the fantasy of the Orient to access its essence: they experienced the authentic beauty of light, the harshness of the desert and the strength of ancestral traditions. From Egypt to Algeria, from the Sahara to Palestine, Ernst, Deutsch, Hamdi Bey, Fromentin, Berchère, Bridgman, Ziem, Gérôme, Corrodi, Dinet and Majorelle were fascinated by the atmosphere, the colors and the customs of one of the cradles of civilization.

Fervently restoring landscapes, architecture, decorative arts and genre scenes, they were the privileged transmitters of an elsewhere conducive to dreams, and they contributed to enriching the golden age of orientalism.

Text by Mathias Ary Jan, with the collaboration of Claire Maingon.

25x30.5 cm, 320 pages, 250 illustrations, hardback binding, gold marking, blue tinted edge.

The artist

A self-taught art enthusiast, Mathias Ary Jan founded his first gallery in 1997. After premises at the Louvre des Antiquaires and the rue de Penthièvre, he is now established at 32 avenue Marceau, where he exhibits works from the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries. Among the many artistic movements that flourished during this pivotal period in art history, Mathias Ary Jan specialises in Orientalism and the Belle Époque. He is also President of the Syndicat National des Antiquaires (SNA) and a recognised expert on the painter Felix Ziem.

Text in French only