Desert near Assouan, Egypt 1896

Editor: So, here we have Denman Waldo Ross's watercolor, "Desert near Assouan, Egypt." There's a desolate beauty, but it also feels strangely…colonial. How do you read this depiction of the Egyptian landscape? Curator: It's tempting to see a straightforward landscape, but consider the power dynamics inherent in Western artists representing the "Orient." Ross's gaze, like many of his time, was shaped by Orientalist assumptions. Editor: Orientalist assumptions? Curator: Yes, that romanticizing and often misrepresenting of non-Western cultures. The desert, as depicted here, becomes a stage for Western fantasy rather than a lived reality for Egyptians. What’s your take? Editor: I hadn't fully considered that, but it shifts the whole perspective. Thanks for highlighting that crucial context. Curator: Absolutely. It is crucial to consider whose story is being told, and from what perspective.