Art Talk: The Orientalists: Visions of the East

About this event

Adults (18+). Join art historian Martin Randall as you explore the 19th century, when European and American artists began traveling to the East, then known as the Orient, long regarded in the West as distant and mysterious. They returned with vivid portrayals of unfamiliar peoples and cultures that captivated audiences back home. Once considered controversial, these works are now highly prized, especially by museums and collectors in the region seeking visual connections to a vanished way of life. This talk explores these artist‑travelers, the Orientalists, tracing their journeys through North Africa, the Middle East, Persia, and India, and examining the lasting artistic legacy they created.