Jewish Bride 1832

Eugène Delacroix painted this watercolor, titled Jewish Bride, in the early to mid-19th century. Delacroix was among the first European artists to visit North Africa, which subsequently fueled the Orientalist movement in Europe. Here, the subject is a woman of Jewish heritage from Algeria, depicted seated and adorned in traditional garments. Orientalism often exoticized and eroticized people from North Africa and the Middle East. The Orientalist movement promoted the idea of the East as a place of fantasy and escape, reinforcing cultural stereotypes. But Delacroix's approach differed; he emphasized the dignity of the individuals he encountered. As he once said, "The great charm of this country is that one finds beauty everywhere, even in things that are quite ordinary." While the title positions her as a 'bride', she is also an individual, sitting, and existing. The personal dignity of the woman shines through, pushing back on the one-dimensional tropes of Orientalist art.