Procession before the tombs of the Caliphs, Grand Cairo 1846

Editor: This is David Roberts’ “Procession before the tombs of the Caliphs, Grand Cairo,” painted in 1846 using oil paint. There’s such a striking contrast between the golden light of the sky and the earthen tones of the city. What story does it tell? Curator: Think about the materiality here, beyond just "oil paint." Consider where those pigments came from, how they were ground, who manufactured the canvas. Roberts is presenting a romanticized vision of the Orient, but this vision is built upon a very real infrastructure of global trade and colonial power. Editor: So you're saying the very creation of this beautiful scene is tied to something less picturesque? Curator: Absolutely. Consider the act of painting itself. Roberts, as a Western artist, is appropriating and commodifying Egyptian culture. The painting becomes a collectible, reinforcing existing power dynamics through its creation, distribution, and consumption in the European art market. How might the local artisans, whose labor was likely exploited to build the very structures Roberts depicts, view this representation? Editor: That's a perspective I hadn't considered. It makes you question the entire setting and the role it plays. Curator: Exactly. And what about the people in the procession? Are they actors in a staged scene, arranged for the painter's benefit, or participants in a genuine ritual? Roberts is using real materials and processes to construct an image, but the reality is far more complex. Editor: I now see it as not just a romantic depiction, but also a commodity shaped by production, labour, and unequal exchange. Thanks for pointing that out. Curator: The materials themselves carry the weight of that history. Remembering the conditions of the painting's creation invites a richer, more critical appreciation.