Blue and Yellow 1910

Robert Lewis Reid created this artwork of an unknown date, titled 'Blue and Yellow'. It is evocative of turn-of-the-century orientalism. The painting invites us into a space where cultures and identities meet. The woman, adorned in a Japanese-style robe, is set against a backdrop of East Asian motifs. The details such as the crane and the floral patterns create an atmosphere which speaks to the Western fascination with the East. But what does it mean to don the clothes of another culture? Is it appreciation, appropriation, or a complex mix of both? The work is emotionally charged, it leaves us to ponder the boundaries of cultural exchange and representation.