View of Tangier from the Seashore 1856 - 1858

Eugène Delacroix painted this scene of Tangier from the seashore to represent his experience in Morocco. The image is full of codes that reflect the colonial context of 19th-century Europe, as well as the Romantic movement in art. Morocco was seen as an exotic and sensual place at the time. The people are depicted in a way that emphasizes their difference from Europeans. The composition invites viewers into the scene, presenting Morocco as a place of leisure. At the same time, the painting seems to romanticize colonial power relations. What seems to be missing from this image is a sense of the real social and political tensions of the time. To fully understand a painting like this, we need to research its historical context. We can study travel writing, political documents, and other visual representations of Morocco at the time. The meaning of art is always tied to its social and institutional context.