Carpet Seller 

Giulio Rosati made this painting with watercolors, likely in his studio rather than in the Middle East itself. The choice of medium is crucial here. Watercolor lends itself to capturing the textures of the rugs, but it does so with a certain detachment. Rosati never had to master the craft of weaving, or engage with the labor involved. Instead, he deftly simulates the appearance of textiles, with all their intricate patterns and rich colors, using just washes of pigment. This approach embodies a common paradox of Orientalist art. It exoticizes cultures and traditions but also appropriates them, transforming them into easily consumed images. The painting becomes a commodity in its own right, divorced from the actual social conditions and skilled work that produced the rugs in the first place. By focusing on Rosati’s technique, we can see how his painting participates in a broader system of representation and consumption, where cultural difference is both celebrated and commodified.