Hindu Snake Charmers c. 1869

Mariano Fortuny Marsal painted “Hindu Snake Charmers” using oil on canvas to create a scene that feels both exotic and unsettling. Fortuny's use of oil paints allowed for a layered, textured surface, bringing depth to the depiction of the snake charmers and the setting they are in. The rough application of paint conveys a sense of immediacy, as though the scene was captured spontaneously. He employs the sheen and blendability of the oil paints, with colors merging and creating a sense of movement, as seen in the smoke and the shimmering details of the carpet. This contrasts with the stillness of the snake and the intense focus of the charmer. The artist highlights the work involved in the performance, reflecting themes of labor and cultural exchange. Fortuny does so not through conventional methods, but through a Western lens interpreting and representing the cultural practices of another world. The material of the painting, the oil paint itself, becomes a tool for mediating the vision of the snake charmers, raising questions about cultural appropriation and the artist's role in shaping perceptions of distant lands.