The Allure of Empire: Art in the Service Of French Imperialism, 1798-1836

Abstract

"The Allure of Empire: Art in the Service of French Imperialism, 1798-1836" by Todd Porterfield is reviewed.

The Allure of Empire: Art in the Service Of French Imperialism, 1798-1836, by Todd Porterfield.

Ever since the publication of Edward Said's influential book Orientalism in 1978, literary critics have been analyzing the representation of the world of the East in Western literature, and especially charting the ways in which images of the Orient have served the cause of European imperialism. Todd Porterfield has now shown how effectively the concept of orientalism can be used in the realm of art history. Though the results of his investigations may seem somewhat predictable and even old hat to those familiar with literary criticism in this area, the wealth of detail in his argument and the acuteness of his insights into individual paintings make this book valuable to students of French art and of European culture in general. Porterfield has chosen his subjects well to develop his thesis, concentrating on the erection of the Egyptian obelisk in the Place de la Concorde in Paris, the paintings inspired by Napoleon's Egyptian campaign, the development of the science of Egyptology by Champollion and its relation to the Louvre Museum. and Delacroix's orientalist masterpiece, The Women of Algiers. Eschewing the jargon-ridden prose that often mars accounts of orientalism, Porterfield gives a clear and engaging account of the complex interaction between art and imperial politics in post-revolutionary France. Princeton $39.50