Framing the East: Orientalism in Art and Literature
Description
Join us for Framing the East: Orientalism in Art and Literature, a thought-provoking lecture exploring the origins and evolution of Orientalism through art, literature, and cultural history. Led by Dr. Michaela Watrelot, Curator & Director of Exhibitions at Bassam Freiha Art Foundation, the session will trace the development of Western representations of the East, from Renaissance painters and Napoleon’s scientific expedition to Egypt to the imaginative studio artists of the 19th century.
Drawing on Edward Said’s landmark publication alongside key art-historical debates, participants will gain insight into how artists constructed a rich visual language around the East, shaped by fascination, artistic imagination, and cultural perceptions. The lecture will conclude with a guided tour of selected artworks from the Bassam Freiha Private Collection, offering an opportunity to explore these themes through works currently on display at the Foundation.
Speaker
Dr. Michaela Watrelot
Dr. Michaela Watrelot is a curator, educator, and author with a PhD in History of Art from Charles University in Prague. At Bassam Freiha Art Foundation, she leads exhibition planning, education, and strategic partnerships. Her expertise spans 19th- and 20th-century art, public art commissions, and art market studies, and she is the author of Wilhelm von Bode and the American Art Market: The Rudolphe Kann Collection (Routledge, 2023).