Gezicht op Tetuan in Marokko 1848 - 1884

Barend Leonardus Hendriks made this print of Tetouan in Morocco using etching. It offers a panoramic view of the city, inviting us to consider the gaze of the outsider on a place far from home. During the 19th century, European artists and intellectuals became increasingly interested in the ‘oriental’ world of North Africa. This interest was driven by military and economic expansion, as well as by a sense of cultural curiosity. Hendriks, a Dutchman, likely never visited Morocco himself. Prints like these were often based on sketches or descriptions by others and they helped to shape European perceptions of the region, often reinforcing existing stereotypes. To understand the image better, we could research the colonial history of Morocco, the role of travel and exploration in 19th-century Europe, and the market for so-called Orientalist art. Context is everything.