Orientalist Photographs: 1870-1950 - Hardcover

Milet, Eric

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 208030089X ISBN 13: 9782080300898

Publisher: Flammarion, 2009

Synopsis

The century that spanned from the 1850–1950 witnessed the golden age of travel and the exposure of an increasing number of Westerners to foreign cultures. The Maghreb became a source of exotic fascination and people grew particularly enchanted by the landscapes, peoples, and cultures of countries such as Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria. Orientalist Photographs pays homage to the ultimate travel dream of that era. This collection of over 100 autochrome, sepia, and black and white photographs captures delicate, lost details: the dusty, labyrinthine walls of the casbah; the dappled sunlight on the market stall of a souk; the intricate metal work of traditional jewelry. Each image is accompanied by an informative text that situates the photograph in its historical reality, revealing how, for example, the richness of Algerian embroidery is not the product of hermetic tradition, as once perceived, but rather that of an innovative fusion of Spanish, Turkish, and native cultures. This book’s haunting photographs and incisive texts vividly render all the mystery, the beauty, and the naiveté of the West’s encounter with a culture it found so radically different from its own.

About this title

About the Author:

Eric Milet holds a long-standing passion for Morocco and the Sahara, where he has worked as a guide for over twenty years. He has published a number of photography books on his travels in the North African deserts and Timbuktu.

Review:

"Orientalist Photographs...is a feast for the eyes that offers a privileged insight into the beliefs, styles and traditions of Northern Africa during the golden age of travel. A gorgeous collection of over 100 autochrome, sepia and black-and-white photographs captures delicate, lost details like dappled sunlight on a market stall and the intricate metal work of traditional jewelry. An enchanting homage to the people, landscape and culture of countries such as Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria." ~ENTREE

About this edition

• Publisher: Flammarion
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 208030089X
• ISBN 13: 9782080300898
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 204