Reposo 1778

Editor: This is "Reposo" by John Hamilton Mortimer, created sometime in the 1700s. It's quite small, and etched in ink. I’m struck by the figure’s pose; he seems lost in thought. What deeper meanings might this image hold? Curator: Note how the turban, the pose, and the foliage all work together. Mortimer is conjuring an "Orientalist" vision, tapping into European fantasies about the East. What emotions does this idealized figure evoke in you? Editor: A sense of exoticism, perhaps a romanticized view of leisure and contemplation? Curator: Precisely! Mortimer uses readily available symbols to evoke a desired emotional response in his viewers. The symbols carry a lot of weight culturally. Editor: I see how the cultural associations are important, like how the turban becomes a symbol for the East. Curator: Indeed. It's fascinating how these symbols persist and evolve over time.