Judaic Ornament (Rosette) 1889

This is James Tissot’s "Judaic Ornament (Rosette)", a pencil drawing now held at the Brooklyn Museum. Tissot, a French painter, is best known for his scenes of fashionable society, but in the later part of his career, he turned towards religious subjects. This drawing is part of a larger series where Tissot sought to capture the details of Jewish life and worship. The rosette itself, a common motif in many cultures, here takes on a specific cultural significance as part of Judaic visual traditions. Tissot's project was deeply influenced by his travels to the Middle East, which speaks to a moment in European history where there was a fascination with the ‘Orient’. How do we reconcile the genuine, perhaps even respectful, interest in depicting Judaic culture with the orientalist lens through which it was viewed? This drawing invites us to reflect on the complexities of cultural representation and the artist's role in interpreting a culture that is not their own.