Doorway, Wall Painting and Doors c. 1939

Edward Jewett painted "Doorway, Wall Painting and Doors" in watercolor, though its specific date remains unknown. Jewett, active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, lived in an era of burgeoning Orientalism, where Western artists were fascinated with and often misrepresented Middle Eastern and North African cultures. This painting, with its stylized columns, decorative archway, and what appear to be Islamic-inspired geometric designs on the doors, reflects that fascination. The doorway might evoke a romanticized vision of an "exotic" space, filtered through a Western lens. We might consider how the architecture in the painting invites certain assumptions about who might pass through this door, and what cultural expectations are being projected onto it. While seemingly a simple depiction, Jewett's work allows us to reflect on the power dynamics inherent in how cultures represent one another, and how our perceptions are shaped by these representations.