Moroccan courtyard 

Eugène Delacroix made this watercolor painting, Moroccan Courtyard, after visiting Morocco in 1832. The image has significance as a historical and cultural record. Delacroix, a leading French Romantic painter, ventured to North Africa during a time of burgeoning European interest in the "Orient." The courtyard scene isn't merely a depiction of architecture; it offers glimpses into the domestic sphere of Moroccan life, a world largely hidden from European eyes. Delacroix's Orientalist paintings have been the subject of much art historical debate. Scholars have examined the degree to which such works reflect genuine cultural exchange or perpetuate colonial power dynamics. By studying Delacroix's sketches, travel journals, and the broader context of French colonial ambitions in North Africa, we can understand the painting as a complex product of its time. It invites us to consider the ethics of representation and the role of art in shaping cultural perceptions.