Der Dichter Aaron Hill und drei weitere Ägypten-Reisende finden in einer Grabkammer zwei Leichname 1790

Augustin Félix Fortin created this artwork, "The Poet Aaron Hill and Three Other Travelers to Egypt Find Two Corpses in a Burial Chamber," sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century. The piece captures the fascination with Egypt and the “Orient” that gripped Europe during this era. It hints at colonial power dynamics, casting Westerners as intruders in a space of ancient, non-Western history. There's an element of exoticism here too, as the scene depicts a moment of discovery that evokes a sense of mystery and transgression. The narrative suggests a homoerotic subtext in the embrace of the corpses. In the context of 18th-century European society, the depiction of male intimacy, particularly in a clandestine setting, complicates the narrative of exploration and discovery. The painting, then, exists in a delicate balance between cultural appropriation, homoerotic tension, and historical storytelling. The drama of this scene really does invite one to question whose stories get told, and how.