Hour of Grace, The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam 

Edmund Dulac created “Hour of Grace” as part of his illustrations for “The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam,” a collection of Persian poetry, during the early 20th century. Dulac, positioned as a European artist interpreting Eastern themes, reflects a Western fascination with the “Orient” and its exoticism. This image presents an intimate moment, with the lovers closely embracing, set against the backdrop of a lush, fantastical garden. The rendering of the female figure in particular is interesting, as Dulac paints her with a gentle acceptance, and her engagement appears voluntary. She almost possesses an equal level of agency as her lover, an expression of the evolving gender roles in Western art and society. The artwork delicately balances the exploration of cultural exchange, gender dynamics, and personal emotion. It invites us to consider how identity and desire are negotiated within the imagined spaces of cultural fantasy, and how Western artists like Dulac have shaped our understanding of Eastern narratives.