Gezicht op El Kasne te Petra 1852

François Stroobant made this pencil drawing of El Kasne in Petra, Jordan. It invites us to consider the concept of 'Orientalism' in 19th-century European art. During this era, Western artists frequently depicted Middle Eastern and North African subjects, often through a lens that exoticized or romanticized the region. The image creates meaning through its depiction of ancient architecture in a distant land, a visual code that speaks to European fascination with the 'Orient'. Jordan, then under Ottoman rule, was a region largely unknown to Europeans except through biblical and classical accounts. The choice of subject reflects the power dynamics of the time, where European artists felt entitled to represent and interpret non-Western cultures. To better understand the social conditions that shaped this drawing, it is useful to consider travelogues, colonial histories, and studies of the art market. Through such resources, we can explore the history and meaning of art.