After Prayer 

Rudolf Ernst, an Austrian artist, painted "After Prayer" and like many artists of his time, he explored Orientalism, a Western fascination with the "exotic" cultures of the Middle East and North Africa. In this scene, the architecture and the clothing are rendered with careful attention to detail which evokes a sense of authenticity, yet, the presence of a Black attendant introduces a complex interplay of race, class, and power dynamics. The attendant's ornate attire and subservient posture hint at the historical realities of servitude and racial hierarchies within these societies, while also reflecting European fantasies about the East. Ernst's work prompts us to consider how cultural exchange is always inflected with issues of identity and power. The image captures a moment of apparent serenity, while quietly reminding us of the complicated layers of history and representation embedded within it.