A Column of Oriental Travelers Scattered by a Dust Storm (The Israelites Passing through the Wilderness Preceded by the Pillar of Clouds) 1820 - 1840

William West created this ink wash drawing sometime in the first half of the 19th century. He imagines here the Israelites fleeing through the desert, guided by a divine pillar of cloud. But, in West’s telling, the pillar becomes a threatening dust storm which scatters the travelers and throws them into disarray. This image was made at a time when Britain and France were expanding their empires in the Middle East. The Bible was often used as a reference point for understanding the region and its people. The title tells us that West and his contemporaries would have likely seen the Israelites as "Oriental Travelers." But, West’s image is not an entirely sympathetic one. The artist emphasizes the vulnerability of the travelers as they are tossed about by the elements. Are they victims of circumstance? Or is West suggesting that they are deserving of their fate? These are the kinds of questions that a social historian might ask. We can start answering them by examining the place of the Bible in 19th century British culture, as well as the complex relationship between Britain and the Middle East at that time.