Purchase of a Slave 

Jean-Léon Gérôme painted this scene of a slave purchase, using oil on canvas, at an unknown date. The image presents a tableau that evokes the orientalist fantasies popular in 19th-century France. It reflects a western gaze upon non-western cultures, specifically those of the Middle East and North Africa. We see a slave owner inspecting a nude woman, other figures standing passively by. Gérôme’s work invites us to consider the social and economic structures that allowed such scenes to occur. He was part of a broader artistic trend that romanticized the “exotic” East, often ignoring the harsh realities of slavery and colonial exploitation. The popularity of such images served to reinforce existing power dynamics, with the European viewer positioned as the dominant observer. To truly understand this artwork, historians might consult period travelogues, ethnographic studies, and abolitionist writings. These resources can provide critical context, helping us to interpret the painting not just as a depiction of a historical scene, but as a product of its own time, shaped by social and institutional forces.