The Dreamer 1712 - 1714

Jean-Antoine Watteau painted 'The Dreamer' with oil on canvas, capturing a young woman in a moment of reverie. She is adorned with a turban, a symbol that carries with it centuries of cross-cultural exchange. This turban, reminiscent of those seen in Renaissance depictions of exotic figures from the East, evokes a sense of Orientalism. We might trace its lineage back to the turbans worn in Byzantine art, symbolizing wealth and status, or even further, to the draped headdresses of ancient Persia. Each appearance shapes and enriches the symbol. Note how the turban and her contemplative gaze work on our subconscious. The image speaks to the power of dreams and imagination as a form of escape, a theme that will surely resurface and evolve, taking on new meanings in different contexts.