Orientalism: Unravelling Leon Carré’s Idealisation in the Arabian Nights
Words by Lucy Şeniz
Orientalist painting found itself as a defining feature of European art in the 20th century, with artists like Léon Carré taking inspiration from the Arabian Peninsula (modern day North Africa, the Middle East and with influences potentially spanning across to India) to illustrate worlds that layer fantasy and reality, often meshing and interweaving visual culture of the vast landscapes that were summarised by the term “Orient”. It is important to recognise that the interest in the “Orient” developed as a result of European colonial activity, which allowed soldiers, traders and artists greater access to the places and peoples of these regions.
Orientalist paintings gained attention in the 19th century when they were used to record places eastward of Europe, as there was a growing interest in life overseas. They often blurred the lines between fantasy and reality, using their imagination to fill gaps of what they did not know or see. Whilst some artists travelled and painted first hand (Carré himself travelled to Algier in 1905), some painted from other images and reported accounts. It was dangerous in that it was easy to distort the truth and has been critiqued for its sometimes invasive attention and eroticism.
Carré’s works feel more delicate and finely felt. Carré’s bold and vivid paintings cultivate a sense of longing to the cultural landscapes he was fascinated by, and his admiration for these worlds are channeled through his vivid depictions of the Arabian sphere. His paintings allow the viewer to transcend into worlds of luxury, magic and wisdom that nod to the landscape and lifestyle of the “Orient” during the early years of the 20th century.
His creation of a subtle atmosphere through his technique works in unity with the cultural background that he depicts; his eye for detail brings out the kindness and warmth of the settings. Moreover, his personal style compliments the detailed art of the Middle East. Through his use of soft colours and detail, an ethereal quality emanates from his paintings, reflecting the overarching narrative of Arabian Nights (One Thousand and One Nights)—a collection of Middle Eastern folktales that Carré was commissioned to provide illustrations for.
“Carré’s use of soft, visually appealing colour caters to its fantastical, ethereal element but also can be seen to not ‘overwhelm’ its Western viewer. In reality, the beauty and magic of this imagined sphere, its sensuality and mystery, does not exist without the inevitability of its shadow.”
Leon Carré’s work on Arabian Nights
Carré’s orientalist work was met with high critical appraisal and acclaim, with his work on Arabian Nights (One Thousand and One Nights) being his most widely recognised series. He worked closely with the Algerian artist Mohammed Racim, to embellish the vast collection of Middle Eastern and Indian tales, combining Carre’s painting skill with Racim’s traditionally Islamic decorative designs. Carre’s 144 full-page color illustrations depicted scenes from the tales, whilst Racim worked on the peripheral elements, including title pages, borders, and other ornamental designs of intricate geometric patterns and floral motifs, reflecting traditional Islamic art.
The narrative of One Thousand and One Nights follows the protagonist, Scheherazade, who escapes her imminent death through her ability to enthral her husband through evocative storytelling, keeping her alive day after day until eventually he removes her death sentence. Scheherazade tells the stories of the lives of women around her; she accounts for a wide range of material, from fables, fairy tales, to narratives of everyday life and theological stories. The almost infinite number of Nights speaks to the vast expansiveness of the culture and the act of storytelling: there are an infinite number of real human experiences, stories akin to those recounted. The titles original, direct translation from Arabic stresses this sense of infinity: Thousand Nights and a Night. Carré manages to impressively mirror this through his illustrations, weaving realms of mystical beauty with the common practices of everyday living.
Art as Meditation: Arabian Spirituality in Art
Carré’s paintings unravel themselves the more you look; opening and inspiring new creative pathways where the viewer is allowed to truly transport themselves into this imagination through the act of seeing and feeling into his work. The depth in his paintings make his illustrations vivid, even hallucinogenic, inspiring thought and marvel in the mind’s eye. It seems easy to imagine the personal meditations of the artist behind the work as the patience, skill and effort holds a passion for craft and culture. It seems that Carré calls for a similar kind of deliberation from the viewer, which may have been inspired by Mandala art which sees visuals aids in practice to guide towards enlightenment and healing.
“[Orientalism] becomes sensitive when the focus is less on understanding the lives of others from other cultural contexts but concentrated in fueling belief and impossible ‘dreams’ of what we want to believe is possible; that such havens can exist on earth.”
Working with Racim, the artwork blends into well-recognised geometric patterns of the landscape, which are mostly found in textiles like rugs and clothing. His detailed penwork in the leaves, water, and flowers imitates the embellishment of fine embroidery, such that his paintings echo the styles and techniques of Middle Eastern design, weaving such elements together with ease and subtlety that calls to the rich artistry of its inspired nations.
Placing these images alongside the tales, viewers are able to lean into a deeper imagination and acceptance of the narrative’s often raw, difficult truths. Carré’s use of detail enhances the emotional resonance of the paintings and encourages a sense of realism which transports the viewer into these dream like landscapes whereby storytelling becomes a powerful act to share common experience and learn, especially for the period where first-hand travel and experience was not widely accessible.
Art can be a way to see wider, and Carré’s illustrations portray what Islamic art itself would not be able to. Traditionally, Islamic art avoids natural images of animals and people (mostly in religious contexts) due to the belief that images are thought to encourage idolatry, which undermines the belief of oneness with Allah. Animals and people are seen as an extension of God, and to try to depict God, or his creations, is to disrespect the ineffability and wisdom in creation. After all, to depict is to create, and this job is best done by God, which takes place in reality, over the falsity of image. This is why Islamic art includes figurative representations and abstract forms, patterns and calligraphy, which adds a layer of detail and “knowing” to the art forms where one must think further and muse on the meaning of form rather than its abrupt awareness.
Through his use of light pastels, Carré holds the strong intensity of natural pigments yet creates a tranquil atmosphere to make his colour palette distinctive and unique. Pigments and dyes are native to regions of the Middle East and North Africa, as the minerals and plants (like Lapis Lazuli, Henna, Indigo, Saffron, Madder Root) are abundant. Artists were able to use high density of pigment in their dyes, inks and paints, which gives Arabic art its distinctly opulent hue. Colour is also deeply symbolic in its spiritual traditions, as well, where the colours have certain connotations of aspects of divinity. As God creates the plants and nature that the dyes come from, the whole act of creating art becomes in itself an act of worship for the earth’s abundance and nourishment.
The backdrop of dry landscapes of beige deserts and bright sunlight also worked to make the colours pop; a technique also employed by Carré as his images seem to emanate light and glow. The deep colours provide a sense of visual relief where the eye can focus on intensity of color against the bright, arid landscapes. Carré manages to encapsulate the expressive and sacred through his use of colour to create a soothing ambient quality that also realises the prosperity that Art attempts to glimpse into.
The Selected Ideal: Issues with Orientalist Paintings
However, as the original tales from One Thousand and One Nights made their way westward, critics have pointed out their erasure of deemed “strong” cultural elements that were too harsh or brutal. Carré’s use of soft, visually appealing colour caters to its fantastical, ethereal element, but also can be seen not to overwhelm its Western viewer. In reality, the beauty and magic of this imagined sphere, its sensuality and mystery, do not exist without the wider cultural elements in which it exists, which are not to be distorted for comfort.
Edward Said’s well-established book Orientalism (published in 1978) critiques Western media as fabricating a false view of the region labelled the “Orient”. Said argued that such work pushed an idea of Eastern peoples as alluring yet threatening to Western civilisation in that they depicted a world that could not be understood. Despite their beauty, magnificence and more realised context, it is important to recognise that Carré’s work can isolate this world in its depiction as “other”. His work fits into the wider movement of the period, which propelled harmful belief systems: mainly that these nations were “underdeveloped” in relation to the West—which was seen as advanced, rational and superior.
Carré’s work is difficult as it actually falls under fantasy by the fictional nature of its depiction yet it can still be understood as leaning into emphasis on elements that appeal to the European imagination. It becomes sensitive when the focus is less on understanding the lives of others from other cultural contexts, but concentrated on perpetuating impossible “dreams” of what we want to believe is possible; that such havens can exist on earth. This reflects a wider philosophy of the dangers of idolisation; we must work towards understanding the whole, whether that is culture or individual people, not just the parts we like.
Moreover, the presence of angels in the images is shifted from other supernatural beings in the Islamic worldview like jinns and devils, possibly as they are a feature of the unseen (al-ghayb). Whilst this is also likely a reflection of Carré’s own artistic background, where he would have been familiar with images of angels through Christian imagery. We should also notice the pale skin of angels and the selection of European features in the portrayal of “beauty”. It seems relevant to consider that whilst these paintings can be problematic in the gaze they cast on lives outside of our own if the wider material and environment is not fully representative. We can reflect on lessons in not projecting our own understandings of reality onto the incomprehensible experiences of lives we have never known.
Orientalism Today
It seems relevant to our modern world that we must remain cautious of “cherry picking” - adopting idealised or fantasised views of spaces, people and cultures which dissociate from the truth of complexity that all life contemplates. It seems a difficult subject as it is natural for art, and the mind by extension, to attach to and select beauty. Inherently, snapshot images by nature fail to encapsulate the wider context of the subject or scene, meaning that the less visually pleasing elements are omitted, despite the fact that they are just as real and spirited.
It seems that Carré’s work speaks to a natural instinct of curiosity and inspiration that is borne from cross-cultural awareness. Particularly with the dangerously voyeuristic lens of tourism and modern media, it feels important to remain aware that lives outside of our own are not imagined fantasies but real places with complexities and nuance. To ignore issues within a place and only select and focus on its attractive qualities is to play a role in undermining the struggles and hardship of its people, missing the depth of community and cultural practice that lies at the heart of every society.
Whilst I believe in the potential for cross-cultural inspiration and the importance of seeing alternative ways of living, as artisans have shared techniques and ideas for centuries, we must take care with how our visions translate as they can be dangerous to fuel fires of belief systems. Particularly in reference to the modern depiction of SWANA (south-west asia and northern africa) states, we must remember how significant the media plays a role in shaping our perceived ideas and knowledge about places and communities that we have never experienced first hand. Carré’s work alongside Racim shows the potential in inter-cultural dialogue and exchange whereby there is a potential for cross-cultural learning and interaction rather than observation and othering.
However, Carré was painting for a Western audience to imagine these landscapes. His paintings can be seen to still encapsulate this enigmatic quality, which allows the viewer to think about the paintings, their intention and purpose. His use of detail acts to invite curiosity into the landscape, hopefully such that the viewers can think deeply about the experiences of others at a deep, sensitive level. To me, his work can not fully encapsulate the depth and magnitude of the culture, but works to visualise it alongside the written narrative.
