Alexander Encounters the Naked Inhabitants of India c. 1473

Curator: This anonymous artwork is titled "Alexander Encounters the Naked Inhabitants of India." Editor: The initial impact is… stark. The angularity of the figures and landscape, combined with the muted colors, creates a very strange feeling of distance. Curator: The image reflects prevailing European understandings of the East and the figure of Alexander the Great, embodying the complicated legacy of cross-cultural encounters. The nudity, read through a postcolonial lens, speaks volumes about the Western gaze. Editor: I see how the artist used line to create a sense of depth, even though the perspective is flattened. The contrast between the riders and the figures is very striking in terms of composition. Curator: Absolutely, the placement reinforces the sense of "otherness," highlighting the power dynamics at play and inviting us to consider how such representations perpetuate harmful stereotypes. Editor: The simplicity of the line work almost gives it a feeling of folk art. Overall, the starkness of the image is still quite striking. Curator: It leaves you with questions, doesn’t it? It’s a call to explore beyond the surface.