The Perfume Makers 

Rudolf Ernst, an Austrian artist, painted 'The Perfume Makers' using oil on canvas in the late 19th or early 20th century. Ernst was part of the Orientalist movement, in which European artists depicted their fantasies of North Africa and the Middle East. These romantic visions often glossed over the complexities of cultures under colonial rule. The architecture and clothing evoke a generalized "Orient," rather than a specific place. The tiled walls and arched doorway recall Turkish baths, and the women engaged in the delicate craft of perfume making suggest an exotic sensuality. Yet, the image is removed from the realities of labor and commerce. To understand this work fully, we need to research the artist’s biography, the history of Orientalism, and the socio-economic context of European colonialism. Only then can we appreciate the power of images to shape our understanding of different cultures.