Boat on the Nile 19th-20th century

Editor: Here we have Denman Waldo Ross's "Boat on the Nile," a watercolor at the Harvard Art Museums. It's quite tranquil, almost dreamlike. What strikes you about its place within the history of art? Curator: I see it as a product of its time, reflective of the Orientalist gaze prevalent in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Ross, like many Western artists, was drawn to the exoticism of the East, but how does this depiction differ from, say, Delacroix? Editor: It feels less staged, more observational. Almost like a snapshot. What does that tell us about the intended audience or purpose? Curator: Perhaps a desire for authenticity? Though, even that is a construct. These images shaped perceptions of Egypt for Western audiences, influencing political and cultural interactions. Editor: That’s a powerful point. It makes me rethink my initial impression of tranquility. Curator: Precisely. The image functions as more than just a pretty scene.