A successful expedition 

Curator: Ah, here we have "A Successful Expedition," a watercolor by Giulio Rosati. The exact date is unknown, but stylistically, it points towards the late 19th century and is an example of orientalism. Editor: My initial reaction? It feels romanticized, almost theatrical. The movement captured, the desert landscape—it evokes adventure, but a very particular kind of adventure. Curator: Indeed. Rosati was known for his orientalist scenes, often depicting the Middle East and North Africa. He wasn't necessarily aiming for documentary accuracy but instead created visions that appealed to a European audience hungry for exoticism. Editor: Exactly! It is the composition that hints to that the most: all those riders moving towards us, but rendered almost generically: what strikes me is the contrast between the white and yellowish clothes, suggesting a cleansing journey of discovery and transformation of the subjects portrayed here. Curator: Consider also the role of the camel versus the horse in this image. The camel is a work animal but not shown as so: in turn, it is ennobled as a beast ridden with honor. Meanwhile the Arabian horse symbolizes power, and, together, this mixed caravan communicates both prosperity and martial capability. Rosati's audiences would easily recognize those tropes. Editor: It really raises questions about the power dynamics inherent in orientalist art, and also suggests its romanticism might play down, intentionally or not, some of the more grim historical or economic realties that expedition could carry along, if real. Curator: Rosati often depicted scenes of military processions or exotic genre scenes set in vaguely “eastern” locales. What purpose these paintings might serve other than mere propaganda or fantasy fodder would merit careful scrutiny indeed. His choices would be of more mundane character, to decorate homes, communicate status, or promote investment and other enterprises. Editor: Well, now when I look, it feels like one must look not at, but behind, what Rosati wants to show to the spectator to look: and that allows me to appreciate how an expedition becomes an icon to be decoded and discussed in our modern age. Curator: Rosati’s image definitely presents challenges to the modern viewer that need to be addressed through critical analysis and, if you allow, thoughtful deconstruction.