Le corps de garde à Meknès 1847

Eugène Delacroix created this painting, "Le corps de garde à Meknès," after his trip to Morocco in 1832. Delacroix's travels placed him at the intersection of Orientalism and French colonialism. The painting depicts two figures asleep indoors, possibly guards, set within the shadowy interior of what one might imagine to be a North African guardhouse. The scene offers a glimpse into a world quite foreign to Delacroix's European audience. One might be drawn to the relaxed postures of the men and the intimacy of the domestic scene, yet, it is impossible to ignore how such images served to perpetuate the exoticized view of the "Orient" that was prevalent during the colonial era. Delacroix’s painting captures a moment of quiet repose but simultaneously raises questions about the power dynamics inherent in cultural representation. We're left to consider how the gaze of the artist—and, by extension, the viewer—shapes our understanding of other cultures and the individuals within them.