The Old Blue-Tiled Mosque Outside of Delhi, India 

Edwin Lord Weeks painted this scene of “The Old Blue-Tiled Mosque Outside of Delhi, India” in an oil on canvas. The painting typifies Orientalism, a Western artistic movement of the 19th century that exoticized the Middle East and Asia. Weeks, an American, traveled extensively in India. His work reflects a fascination with the perceived mystery and splendor of the East, but it also reveals the dynamics of colonial power and the gaze of a Westerner on a foreign land. Note the artist’s attention to architectural detail alongside his depiction of local figures. The painting offers a romanticized view of Indian life, filtered through the lens of a Western artist. It is the kind of image that fed the European and American public's appetite for exoticism and adventure. To fully understand such a work, we would need to investigate Weeks' biography, the history of Orientalism, and the social context of British colonial India. Through such research, we can interpret the painting not just as a beautiful image but as a historical artifact.