Orientalism

Orientalism is a broad term referring to the recreation of the artstyles and aesthetics of "the Orient" (Asia and Northern Africa) by Europe, but it can also refer specifically to the 19th=century movement that arose along with imperialism. 
The interactions between East and West brought on by colonialist exploration have had an impact on aesthetics. Because of being something rare and new to Westerners, some non-European styles were really appreciated during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Because of not fully understanding the origins and principles that govern these exotic aesthetics, Europeans sometimes created hybrids of the style which they tried to replicate and which were the trends at that time. Because traveling to China or other Far Eastern countries was something hard at that time and so remained mysterious to most Westerners, European imagination were fuelled by perceptions of Asia as a place of wealth and luxury, and consequently patrons from emperors to merchants vied with each other in adorning their living quarters with Asian goods and decorating them in Asian styles. Where Asian objects were hard to obtain, European craftsmen and painters stepped up to fill the demand, creating a blend of Rococo forms and Asian figures, motifs and techniques. 
==History==
===Early Orientalism===
Because of them being something rare and new to Westerners, these non-European styles were seen as exotic and interesting. Over time, different countries were popularized in various movements of Orientalism during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. For example, Japonism arose around 1860 when Japan opened itself up to trade, causing Ukiyo-e prints and other Japanese art to begin a craze as they were exported to Europe. 
During the middle ages, European countries were spending a large amount of money on importing silk, carpets, and porcelain as the Ottoman Empire and China had a monopoly on these products. By the 17th century, European craftsmen stepped up to fill the demand and figured out how to create these products as well, and started producing them with Oriental designs. This culminated in Rococo Chinoiserie where imiations of Chinese porcelain and lacquer were heavily used, creating a blend of Rococo forms with Asian figures, motifs and techniques. Over time, these Oriental designs produced by Europe shifted away from their traditional styles as more European elements were included.https://www.domusweb.it/en/art/gallery/2020/02/06/fondazione-prada-when-porcelain-was-the-most-exotic-thing.html Because traveling to China or other Far Eastern countries was something hard at that time and so remained mysterious to most Westerners, European imagination were fueled by perceptions of Asia as a place of wealth and luxury, and consequently patrons from emperors to merchants vied with each other in adorning their living quarters with Asian goods and decorating them in Asian styles.
===Orientalism in the 19th Century===
The interactions between East and West brought on by colonialist exploration have had an large impact on Orientalism as it was used for economic reasons. Orientalism worked as propaganda that arose alongside France and Britain's conflict with and eventual colonization of the Ottoman Empire.
The main orientalist aesthetic of this period is Arabian Nights as the Arab countries being colonized were aestheticized.
===Modern Orientalism===
Modern aesthetics based around Asian cultures, such as Cyberpunk, are sometimes described as being a part of Orientalism, although due to the negative connotations of Orientalism this is usually only done to criticize the aesthetic. For example, Cyberpunk portrays the capitalism and urban sprawl of Hong Kong and Tokyo, but this may be a shallow view of those cities. 
==Criticism==
More Information: Wikipedia:Orientalism (book)
Orientalism was most famously criticized by Edward W. Said in his book "Orientalism" for being tied to the political goals of imperialism and prejudiced against the depicted people.Said, E. W. (1978). Orientalism. Pantheon Books. This book has popularized criticism of Orientalism and led to many other books being written on the subject, making Orientalism possibly the most debated aesthetic.
==Orientalist Movements==
*Moorish Revival
*Neo-Mudéjar
*Chinoiserie
*Japonism
*Turquerie
*Egyptian Revival
*Arabian Nights (19th-Ceuntry Orientalism)
==References==
Wikipedia:Orientalism
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