Pino Blasone

Orientalism, Veiled and Unveiled

1 Jean-Lon Grme, Woman of Constantinople and Veiled Circassian Lady (Gevherin Nedaxe Seteney, third wi e o the !ttoman S"ltan #$d%la&i& ' () A Few Literary Sources Sir James J"stinian *orier was a British di+lomat and traveller, Sin-e he was $orn in Smyrna.'&mir, where his ather was -ons"l and /ast 'ndia 0om+any a1ent, he s+o2e well 3"r2ish and learnt some Persian too, 'n A Second Journey through Persia, Armenia, and Asia Minor, to Constantinople, between the ears !"!# and !"!$ (see the $i$lio1ra+hy $elow), he narrates a ni-e ane-dote a$o"t his ort"ito"s meetin1 with an /thio+ian e"n"-h, 1"ardian o an 'ranian harem, 3he +oor 1"y was dis-on-erted and somewhat +er+lexed, at hearin1 rom his interlo-"tor a$o"t the 4"ite ree li e o women in /"ro+e at those times, 5hen *o"rier showed him a small +orta$le +ortrait o his mother, the e"n"-h as2ed i her h"s$and was a +ainter, so rel"-tant he was to $elieve that an extraneo"s man mi1ht have
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$een allowed to 1a&e so lon1 and -on identially at her, in order to de+i-t her a-e "nveiled, 1 Grard de Nerval is the $etter 2nown +en-name o the 6ren-h +oet and traveller Grard La$r"nie, 73he 5omen o 0airo8 S-enes o Li e in the !rient9 is a se-tion o his Voyage en %rient, +"$lished in the :o"rnal &e'ue des (eu) Mondes rom *ay 1;<= to !-to$er 1;<> and later in two vol"mes (Paris8 Sartori"s, 1;<; and 1;?@), #n extended and revised edition will $e iss"ed in 1;?1 $y 0har+entier at Paris, 73hro"1ho"t the len1th and $readth o the Levant,9 the late Aomanti- a"thor writes, in the -ha+ter *he Mas+ and the Veil, 7there is no town where women are more "tterly and -om+letely veiled than at 0airo, #t 0onstantino+le, at Smyrna, thro"1h a veil o white or $la-2 1a"&e, it is o--asionally +ossi$le to -at-h a 1lim+se o the a-e o some *"slim $ea"ty, No matter how severe the laws may $e, they seldom s"--eed in renderin1 that deli-ate tiss"e any more o+a4"e9, 75hen ' irst -ame here,9 Be Nerval -ontin"es, 7' did not 4"ite "nderstand what the attra-tion -o"ld $e a$o"t the mystery with whi-h the more interestin1 hal o the +eo+le o the !rient enshro"ds itsel , B"t a ew days s" i-ed to show me that a woman who 2nows hersel to $e the o$:e-t o attention -an "s"ally ind an o++ort"nity to let hersel $e seen i she is $ea"ti "l, C,,,D 3he town itsel , li2e those who dwell in it, "nveils its most shady retreats, its most deli1ht "l interiors, only $y de1rees9 (trans, 0onrad /l+hinstone(, 1EF@), By -om+arin1 *orier with Be Nerval, a$o"t the same theme, what we -an -omment is that the ormer does not reno"n-e to a -ertain /n1lish wit and taste or hy+er$oli- ane-dota1e, whereas the latter willin1ly ind"l1es in a 6ren-h ashioned mali-io"s insin"ation, Both o them remain di+lomati-ally external to any +ossi$le +ro$lemati- as+e-t o the matter, i not s"+er i-ial anyway, Let "s t"rn to a Li$eral +atriot and exile as the 'talian Prin-ess 0ristina di Bel1io:oso, in her Asie Mineure et Syrie, Sou'enirs de Voyages, +"$lished $e ore in the &e'ue des (eu) Mondes and in 1;?; $y the 7*i-hael Lvy Brothers9 at Paris, %riental -arems and Scenery New Gor28 0arleton, 1;=H is only a +artial translation rom it, 'n %riental -arems and Scenery, the no$lewoman -redits hersel , re errin1 to the emale -ondition in Near and *iddle /ast8 7' was $etter 4"ali ied than most travellers or st"dyin1 one im+ortant side o *"ss"lman so-iety the domesti- side, that in whi-h 5oman +redominates, 3he Iarem, the *ahometan san-t"ary, hermeti-ally sealed to all men, was o+en to meJ ' -o"ld enter it reely and -onverse with those mysterio"s $ein1s
1 # mytholo1y o harems was not new, in /"ro+ean literat"res8 es+e-ially, - , some i-tional e+isodes in the Persian Letters written in 1>H1 $y the 6ren-h thin2er 0harles de *ontes4"ie", H

whom the 6ran2 C1eneri-ally, an !--idental maleD never sees $"t when veiledJ ' -o"ld interro1ate some o those minds whi-h never over low o themselves, and tem+t them to +re-io"s dis-los"res -on-ernin1 an "nex+lored world o +assion and mis ort"ne9, 'n the +i-torial ield, a -onsonant a"thor -an $e -onsidered the 6ren-h So+hie Bo"tellier, who ass"med the artisti- name Ienriette Browne, 6or instan-e, her +aintin1 A Visit, -arem .nterior, Constantinople !"$# (sold at 0hristieKs #"-tion Io"se, London, in H@@@) did not ail to disa++oint the ha$it"s o the Paris Salon in 1;=1, or its modest settin1 and amiliar atmos+here, -lashin1 with a +revailin1 mor$id and ima1inary !rientalisti- voye"rism, #s re+orted $y 0ristina 3riv"l&io di Bel1io:oso, the des-ri+tion o harems was even more disen-hantin1, as dealin1 with hy1ieni- -onditions and so-ial +romis-"ity des+ite their 1ender se1re1ation, Get here it is interestin1 what a 2ind o eminine 1lan-e she -o"ld have at a emale a++earan-e, $eneath the "s"al veil, #-t"ally this early so-iolo1ist lady was a severe :"d1e o $ea"ty and ma2e-"+ as well, who wrote8 7nothin1 -an $e more slovenly than their hair, the very 1reat ladies who had lived at the -a+ital C'stan$"lD alone +ossessin1 -om$s, #s to the +aint, whi-h they a++ly immoderately, $oth in variety o -olor and in 4"antity, its distri$"tion -an only $e re1"lated $y m"t"al -ons"ltation, and as all the women livin1 "nder one roo are so many rivals, they willin1ly en-o"ra1e the most 1rotes4"e ill"mination o their res+e-tive a-es, 3hey a++ly vermilion to the li+s, red to the -hee2s, nose, orehead, and -hin, white wherever a va-ant s+ot o--"rs, and $l"e aro"nd the eyes and "nder the nose, 5hat is yet more stran1e is their manner o -onstr"-tin1 eye$rows,,, /very womanKs a-e is a -om+li-ated wor2 o art, whi-h is not to $e reto"-hed every mornin19,

H 6rederi-2 #rth"r Brid1man, A Constantinople /eautyJ and 3hodore Aalli, -anoum, a oung 0irl of Constantinople The Veil, as a Transparency Aelia$ly, the inest +ortraits $y Jean-Lon Grme as an !rientalist are An Almeh (1;;HJ +rivate -olle-tion) and Veiled Circassian Lady (-a, 1;>=J sold at 0hristieKs, New Gor2, in 1EE>), 'n #ra$i- a L1lmeh or, $etter, L1limah is an !riental emale dan-er, o ten 7learned9 in traditional sin1in1 and m"si- too, 3he lo ty ex+ression and the deta-hed 1a&e o the restin1 dan-er, as de+i-ted $y the 6ren-h +ainter, -on irm what told a$o"t a then renowned L1lmeh, $y the German ar-hite-t Iermann von P%-2ler-*"s2a" in his relation o a :o"rney to /1y+t8 7# ter she had dan-ed a 4"arter o an ho"r, she dran2 -o ee and smo2ed with "s as solemnly as a Pasha9 ( Aus Mehemed Ali2s &eichJ St"tt1art8 Iall$er1er, 1;<<), *ostly this -ate1ory o ree women, whi-h has $een also li2ened to o"r -o"rtesans o the +ast, is re+resented with no veil over their a-es, 'n GrmeKs +aintin1, the only one is a trans+arent $lo"se -overin1 her tr"n2, 3he artist ado+ts a di erent way in order to +ortray the 0ir-assian woman, or his trans+arent veiled Almeh with Pipe +ainted in 1;>F, or else the nearly -ontem+orary Woman of Constantinople, -"rrently lo-ated in a +rivate -olle-tion, 3he 0ir-assian 1irls were m"-h so"1ht a ter as -on-"$ines in the harems, or their le1endary $ea"ty and alle1ed trainin1 in eminine arts, 3hey are the amed odalis4"es, 3hat one +ortrayed $y Grme is a 1irl no lon1er, 'ndeed she loo2s so $ea"ti "l and ele1ant as to
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not need any heavy ma2e-"+, so r"thlessly -riti-i&ed $y 0ristina di Bel1io:oso, Nay, her -harm is in-reased $y the dar2 trans+arent veil, whi-h the artistKs s2ill has +ainted over her visa1e, ' the 1a&e o An Almeh is 4"ite lo ty, hers is somewhat melan-holi-, as i +ro-eedin1 rom a removed or e-li+sed dimension o li e, /ither o them are starin1 o"t o the +i-t"re, strai1ht at the virt"al o$server, 5hereas the L1lmeh has a tam$o"rine in one hand, the Veiled Circassian is holdin1 a lon1 stemmed +i+e, the chibou+, 'n an !rientalistiam$it at least, es+e-ially the latter and the Woman of Constantinople whose veil is white and -overs the lower hal a-e may have wor2ed as a o"ndation or a tiny i-ono1ra+hi1enre, 3his is the trans+arent veiled +ortrait, where the trans+aren-y does not seem to have $een a mere ex+edient, Aather, it was an additional and ma1ni yin1 means o ex+ression, 3he lesson o Grme was learnt $y some o his ormer a++renti-es, 6rederi-2 #rth"r Brid1man, sometimes -alled the 7#meri-an Grme9, +ainted A Veiled /eauty of Constantinople in 1;;@ (sold at 0hristieKs, New Gor2, in H@@>), A Circassian /eauty in 1;;1 (*"se"m o 6ine #rts, Boston) and another Constantinople /eauty, "ndated and sold $y Sothe$yKs, New Gor2, in H@1@, 'n all these -ases, a white trans+arent veil -overs hal o their a-es, their eyes ex-l"ded, 3he most ex+ressive and im+ressive is A Constantinople /eauty, 3here a yo"n1 woman, hal $"st +ortrayed, is intensely 1a&in1 at the o$server while s"++ortin1 her orehead with one hand, in a +ensive attit"de, Mery similar are two +ortrayals $y the Gree2 3heodoros Aallis or 3hodore Aalli, whi-h are -anoum, a oung 0irl of Constantinople (1;;<J sold at Sothe$yKs, London, in H@@E) and an "ndated *ur+ish Woman also sold $y Sothe$yKs, London, in H@@;, Li2e his master-+ainter Grme and Brid1man, Aalli travelled in the *iddle /ast, +arti-"larly to 0airo and 'stan$"l, where he was $orn, Nearly inte1ral versions o head veils or s-arves were not la-2in1 in the !rientalisti+ortrait"re, as in a "ll len1th +i-t"re o Lady Jane 3li4abeth (igby al5Me4rab $y the German 0arl Iaa1 (1;=HJ 3are4 Aa:a$ *"se"m, N"wait), #lmost inte1ral, ex-e+t or the eyes, are the white trans+arent veils in a +ortrait o the artistKs wi e Ann Sar+i4o'a +ainted in 1;;H $y the A"ssian.#rmenian 'van #iva&ovs2y, or in Portrait of a Veiled Woman with Pearls $y the #meri-an.#rmenian Iovse+ P"shman (1;>>-1E==), /x-e+tionally the artists -o"ld $e women, as the 6ren-h *athilde L, 5, Bona+arte, 3he -o"ntenan-e o her 6ellah ( rom the #ra$i- fell1hah, 7+easant woman9J 1;=18 *"se des Bea"x-#rts, Nantes) is wholly -overed $y a dar2 veil, save the li1ht $l"e eyes, 3his veil is not trans+arent at all,
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3he later 3"r2ish +aintress *ihri *%O i2, lived rom 1;;? to 1E?<, mi1ht $e de ined as an !riental !rientalist, sin-e she had $een an a++renti-e o the 'talian 6a"sto Ponaro, #mon1 her wor2s, there are a Woman with Veil and the Woman in /lac+, whose dar2 trans+arent veil may somewhat remind "s o the hat-veil ashiona$le amid /"ro+ean ladies in the irst hal o the H@th -ent"ry (- , 3aha 3oros, 7l+ 8ad9n &essamlar9m94J in $i$lio1ra+hy), Not always nor ne-essarily the veil, so o ten -overin1 the emale mo"th, -o"ld 7so"nd9 li2e sym$oli- o a silent and anonymo"s +resen-e or -ondition, 3his is the -ase o an extraordinary series o +ortrayals dedi-ated $y Ponaro to the eminent 3"r2ish +oetess Ni1Qr IanRm, lived rom 1;?= to 1E1;, 3hey are water-olo"rs and oil +aintin1s, all exe-"ted at 'stan$"l in a +eriod $etween 1;E1 and 1E@E8 :igar -anim, the Poetess, A Stroll along the /osphorus, %n a Visit, 'n all o them, the 1entle lady wears a white trans+arent veil on the lower +art o her a-e, on $oth sides atta-hed to a head1ear a2in to a t"r$an on her head, Get there is another one, titled Woman in a 6erace 7wal2in1 dress9 , where the +oetess is 1oin1 to "lly "nveil her +retty visa1e with one hand, as i in order to re-ite her verse, Li2e in other a$ove +ortraits o her, in the $a-21ro"nd we may en:oy a $l"e view o the Bos+hor"s seas-a+e, 'n the #siyan *"se"m at 'stan$"l, a room is devoted to Ni1Qr,

F *athilde Laetitia 5ilhelmine Bona+arte, 6ellah WomanJ and *ihri *%O i2, Siyahl9 8ad9n (75oman in Bla-29) An Unveiling Gesture

'n the +rod"-tion o 6a"sto Ponaro, the Woman in a 6erace is not the sole one to $e +ortrayed while "nveilin1 hersel , 'n another ima1e $y him, *he :ew *ur+ey, the 1est"re o removin1 the veil rom her a-e, $y the +o+"lar woman there re+resented, has a -lear sym$oli- and +ro1ressive meanin1, all"sive to a moderni&ation o the -"stoms and mentality o the -o"ntry and with s+e-ial re eren-e to the emale -ondition (-ir-a 1E@;J +rint a ter a +astel8 Bi$liothe4"e des #rts Be-orati s, Paris), 't -an $e o$:e-ted that s"-h an ideal attit"de re le-ted an /"ro+ean +oint o view o the a"thor, Get we -annot or1et that he was well inserted in the intelle-t"al milie" and hi1h so-iety o 'stan$"l, so m"-h as to $e-ome o i-ial +ainter at the !ttoman -o"rt or a +eriod, 3he 0ir-assian woman artist *ihri *%O i2 was his a++renti-e, s"-h as an im+ortant 3"r2ish +ainter and ar-haeolo1ist o that e+o-h, !sman Iamdi, had $een o Jean-Lon Grme and G"stave Bo"lan1er, #nother 3"r2ish woman artist, *% ide Nadri, was an a++renti-e to !sman Iamdi, 6rom the early "n-+eo+led s-enes, they t"rned and o-"sed that modern !riental +aintin1 on the h"man i1"re and +erson, 'n s"m, the 7!riental !rientalism9 was not only a +i-torial transition movement, $"t also a -"lt"ral vehi-le or erment o new ideas, 5hat +e-"liarly the lo-al artists had to a-e was a reli1io"s interdi-tion o the i1"ral re+resentation, o ten inter+reted and a++lied in a restri-tive manner, whi-h had lon1 limited the *iddle /astern art to a de-orative or miniat"risti- dimension, or a-hieved its $est ex+ressions in a -alli1ra+hi- re+resentation o sa-red texts and in the ar-hite-t"re, 'n the +rod"-tion o !sman Iamdi not a ew emale i1"res are dis-retely veiled, as A Lady of Constantinople (1;;1J +rivate -olle-tion), other times "nveiled and emer1in1 rom a de-orated $a-21ro"nd when de+i-ted in an interior, Snli2e or several !--idental !rientalists, the 7#ra$es4"e9 or 73"r4"es4"e9, i yo" :"st +re er so artisti- tradition was not or1otten $"t dee+ly trans ormed, 'nside this -ontext, it is to $e -onsidered the most -ontroversial and a little dis-on-ertin1 artwor2 $y Iamdi, entitled Mihr1b, /ven more than a sym$oli- val"e, it +ossesses a Sym$olisti- -onnotation, Nowadays, this oil on -anvas -reated in 1E@1 is ho"sed in a +rivate -olle-tion, $"t it has $een o$:e-t o a vario"s art -riti-ism, 't re+resents an "nveiled radiant lady, wearin1 an !riental lon1 ro$e and sittin1 on a hi1h seat, # lot o old vol"mes are -on "sedly hea+ed at her eet, She is starin1 $eyond the o$server o the +i-t"re, at somethin1 he is +res"ma$ly "na$le to dis-ern, 'n this sense she may remind -ertain By&antine emale alle1ories o So ia, the divine 5isdom or, why not, the She+inah, as a divine Presen-e a--ordin1 to the Jewish
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Na$$alah , also $e-a"se the settin1 o the s-ene is a sa-red one, relia$ly a *os4"e, 'n a-t, what is visi$le in the rear o her is a mihr1b, 3hat is is the a$sol"tely em+ty ni-he, toward whi-h the +io"s *"slims are "sed to orient their +rayers, *"-h $etter than the emale veil, the mihr1b sym$oli&es the non-re+resentation, or an im+ossi$le and th"s or$idden re+resentation, #lon1 with the $oo2s r"ined on the loor, s"-h a detail, 1ivin1 its title to the -om+osition, determines an eni1mati- am$i1"ity o any +ossi$le inter+retation, what ma2es o this wor2 the end o the !rientalism and a $e1innin1 o a modern !riental art anyhow, 'n a less esoteri- way, we mi1ht ha&ard to 1"ess that the "nveiled woman $e ore the mihr1b stands or the re+resentation itsel , as a di eren-e $etween the 5estern -ivili&ation lar1ely $ased on the re+resentation and an ani-oni- one li2e that o the Near and *iddle /ast, *ay these -ontrastin1 traditions $e re-on-iled, on a -"lt"ral level at least( Bo"$tless, that had to $e a +ro$lem or Iamdi as a i1"rative +ainter, Pro$a$ly, it was s"-h or him as a thin2er too, in a $roader and wider sense, Nevertheless, what matters here is why that re+resentation in a $road and wide sense ass"med a emale orm, Li2ely a1ain, it was so not only or +sy-holo1i-al $"t also or histori-al reasons, $e-a"se in the -ivili&ation to whi-h the artist $elon1ed es+e-ially the re+resentation o women had $een o$:e-t o a so lon1 -on-ealment or removal, as to involve them 1enerally as h"man $ein1s, 't is also tr"e, as re+resentative o an a$sen-e o alse re+resentations, even the mihr1b -annot $e -onsidered a+art rom one re+resentation at least8 that o the h"man $ein1s who +ray t"rned toward it, Lon1 $e ore the 6irst 5orld 5ar +"t an end to the so -alled /elle ;po<ue, !sman Iamdi -on-"rred to the $irth o a S-hool o 6ine #rts in 1;;F and o"nded the 'stan$"l #r-haeolo1y *"se"m in 1;E1, *ihri *%O i2 wor2ed at the #-ademy o 6ine #rts in Aome and, $y the way, was a 1ood riend o the 'talian +oet Ga$riele dK#nn"n&io, She was one o the irst tea-hers in the S-hool o 6ine #rts or Girls, o+ened at 'nstan$"l in 1E1<, 3han2s to those artists the emale i1"re, veiled or "nveiled, or else +ortrayed while li tin1 her veil, 1rew a re-"rrent moti in the new $orn /astern i1"rative art, 3hat wor2ed as an "se "l +remise, i not as a -ontri$"tion, to womanly eman-i+ation, #-t"ally, it ha++ened in a di erent way rom that o so many 5estern +ainters o "nveilin1 dan-ers or 1ra-io"s emales, loo2in1 li2e "nveilin1 themselves or an ima1inary en:oyment o the artist, !r o the #"strian A"dol /rnst, who, in *he 6a'ourite, de+i-ted a man while "nveilin1 a 1irl in his harem, -hie ly to meet and 1rati y di "se sex"al antasies (1;>HJ +rivate -olle-tion),
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< 6a"sto Ponaro, *he :ew *ur+ey, and Woman in a 6erace Morbid Veiled Fantasies 3here are +lays on words, as well as may $e +lays on ima1es, # +ossi$le +lay on ima1es involvin1 the !riental emale veil was too sed"-tive, or -ertain !rientalist +ainters or sometimes +hoto1ra+hers , ind"l1ent to the a$"lo"s voye"rism o harems, 3his is the -ase o the 6ren-h Ienri L"-ien Bo"-et, who not seldom re+resented the Parisian m"ndane li e in an a"da-io"s and +i4"ant way, Ie had $een a st"dent o the a-ademi- and !rientalist artist G"stave Aodol+he 0laren-e Bo"lan1er, a ellow +ro essor o Jean-Lon Grme, Iis +ortrayal /eauty of -arem +ro$a$ly had as s"$:e-t an /"ro+ean model, +ro+osed in an !riental 1"ise (a$o"t 1;;H or laterJ sold at 0hristieKs, New Gor2, in 1EEH), 'n the manner o Grme, the head o this harem $ea"ty, hal $"st +ortrayed, is wra++ed in a white trans+arent veil, Styli&ed with an almost 'm+ressionisti- te-hni4"e, her eat"res are hardly dis-erni$le, Get her tr"n2 and $reast are le t $are, so as to -reate a -ontrastin1 e e-t, Somehow s"rreal and as-inatin1, the same ex+edient was em+loyed in 0achucha, $y the 6ren-h G"illa"me Sei1na- (1;>@-1EH<J sold at Sothe$yKs, New Gor2, in 1EE1), where the smilin1 1irl has the a-e -overed $y a dar2 trans+arent veil over a na2ed $ody, and is holdin1 a tam$o"rine in one hand, 'ndeed, her name does not so"nd an !riental one, $"t this s-ar-ely matters in an o--asional !rientalism, "nli2e that o Grme and Bo"lan1er,
E

# $it less o--asional was the exoti-ism o the B"t-h Nees van Bon1en, Now in a +rivate -olle-tion, his Moorish (ancing 0irl is +art o a series he +ainted in a$o"t 1E1@, shortly a ter a tri+ to *oro--o, 3he :ewelled woman is de+i-ted nearly "ll len1th, Ier head is -overed $y a dar2 mantle and a mas2, 3his time we -annot see her a-e $"t only her n"de $ody, standin1 o"t a1ainst a no-t"rne $a-21ro"nd, 3he dim im+ression o a o"ntain $ehind her s"11ests the settin1 o a 1arden, 3hat is a ty+i-al a-hievement o the /x+ressionisti- art o the a"thor, Get it mi1ht have well $een in l"en-ed $y a +o+"lar +hoto1ra+hi- +rod"-tion then ori1inated in North-# ri-a and 4"i-2ly s+read over the -olonialist /"ro+e, in orm o eroti- ill"strations or +ost-ards, 'n a-t, Man Bon1enKs +i-t"re loo2s very resem$lant to a -ontem+orary 7a-ademi- st"dy9 $y the 0&e-h +hoto1ra+her A"dol 6ran& Lehnert, titled in 6ren-h *ype dK%rient and re+resentin1 a 3"nisian yo"n1 model as a s-ar-e veiled dan-er, 'n 3"nis, A"dol Lehnert sometimes -olla$orated with the A"ssian +ainter #lexander Ao"$t&o , who also +i-t"red "lly or +artly veiled women $"t in a realisti- and res+e-t "l way, Iowever, the $est and most realisti- !rientalisti- eroti-ism was ex+ressed $y the 6ren-h #l+honse-Ttienne Binet, who lon1 lived in So"th-#l1eria and event"ally, -onverted to 'slam, ass"med the #ra$i- name Nasr al-Bin, Iis n"des o Ber$er 1irls do not emer1e rom the shade o i-titio"s harems or rom the arti i-ial li1ht o art st"dios, $"t rom the s"nli1ht or moonli1ht o o+en air nat"ral s+a-es, 3he 1ame o veilin1 and "nveilin1 themselves is intrinsi- in not a ew o these ima1es, dis+layin1 itsel li2e a $allet witho"t ste+s, 6illette se 'oilant, a yo"n1 1irl +ortrayed while veilin1 hersel (1E@1J sold at 0hristieKs, Paris, in H@@>), and La baigneuse au) bi=ou), a $ather de+i-ted while "nveilin1 hersel $"t still adorned with her :ewels (1E@=J sold at Sothe$yKs, Paris, in H@@=), relia$ly re+resent the same model, whose name we 2now rom another -anvas o the same series8 Aao"-ha, #$ove all, they re+resent o++osite $"t -om+lementary as+e-ts o one dynami-s, 3he veilin1 and "nveilin1 dynamism is an an-ient or ar-hety+al one, already +resent in the *editerranean Ielleni- -"lt"re, 'n the +oem %dyssey $y Iomer, the deity 0aly+so was not only a -hara-ter, $"t also an alle1ori- +ersoni i-ation o a s"$liminal -on-e+t, 'n Gree2, her name means 7she who veils or hides9, as well as +>lymma was the emale veil, Ier ma1i- a-"lty to veil and "nveil has +ro$a$ly somethin1 to do with the 1i t o immortality, re "sed $y a 7h"man, all too h"man9 hero Slysses, #nd the +re-So-rati+hiloso+her Iera-lit"s hermeti-ally wrote8 7Nat"re loves to hide9, 3his is also a se-ret o its
1@

+ower o sed"-tion, ori1inatin1 every +rod"-tion or re+rod"-tion on earth, 'n the Iellenisti/1y+t, the 1oddess 'sis was re+resented "lly veiled, as sym$oli- o a mysteri-al 2nowled1e, 'n-identally, a hint more a$o"t may rin1 o"t o the title o a minor !rientalisti- artwor28 the litho1ra+h /eaut? Cach?e@(ie Araberin, 7Iidden Bea"ty, or the #ra$ 5oman9 $y the German 0lemens von Pa"sin1er, dated 1E@;, 3here, we meet with the ima1e o a lady so wra++ed in her s-ar , that hardly she seems to eye o"t o the +i-t"re, Get this is eno"1h to let "s s"s+e-t o a not seldom hidden $ea"ty, whi-h we are "na$le or even a raid to dis-over, # ter -onsiderin1 the veil and the woman as s"$:e-ts, let "s o-"s on the $a-21ro"nd as a settin1 and a -ontext, #$ove we have seen it as the harem, mainly as a a$"lated in the #ra$ literary tradition o the *housand and %ne :ights, Bes+ite his a++arent realism, in the +aintin1s o Ttienne Binet it loo2s ideali&ed li2e an in-ontaminate and Bionysian nat"re, a ter an old *editerranean mytholo1y and a modern Niet&s-hean +hiloso+hy, 'n the +ers+e-tive o 6a"sto Ponaro, the "nveilin1 1est"re is -onne-ted with the s-enery o modernity, 'n the Sym$olism o !sman Iamdi, the re+resented "nveiled woman -ontrasts with a sa-red environment and an ani-oni- -"lt"re, 'n Jane 3li4abeth (igby al5Me4rab $y 0arl Iaa1, the 'slami&ed lady stands o"t a1ainst a view o -lassi-al r"ins o the Syrian town o Palmyra, 3his -ontrast is $etween the "ll veiled i1"re and what the #ra$s -all =1hiliyya, that is the +a1an -ivili&ation +er-eived as a time o 7i1noran-e9, Nonetheless, -learly that is re+resented in an em$lemati- way, not witho"t an /"ro+ean nostal1ia or s"-h a +ast,

11

? Persian Sa avid miniat"re, re+resentin1 an "nveilin1 $ea"ty who o ers drin2 or ood to a dervish (-a, 1=?@J Broo2lyn *"se"m, New Gor2)J and !sman Iamdi, Mihr1b (in $oth ima1es, a sym$oli- or mysti- val"e is more than +ro$a$le) Daughters o the Sea, Daughters o the !ountry 'n an online wee2ly s"++lement to the /1y+tian news+a+er Al5Ahram (1>-HF *ay H@@>, 'ss"e No, ;<?), we -an read an interestin1 arti-le $y *ohammed Salmawy, entitled 7Bialo1"es o Na1"i$ *ah o"&8 # +assion or the #rts9, Notorio"sly Na1"i$ *ah o"&, or Na1i$ *ah "&, is the $est /1y+tian novelist o the H@ th -ent"ry, died in H@@= and No$el Pri&e or Literat"re in 1E;;, Salmawy re+orts and -omments a late interview to him, 'n +arti-"lar, let "s -onsider a +assa1e rom that8 7*y irst ex+os"re to the +lasti- arts was in the late 1EH@s,,, ' remem$er readin1 an arti-le $y #l-U#44ad a$o"t an artist -alled *ahm"d SaUid, 3his was 2ind o "n"s"al, or art wasnKt really $i1 $a-2 then, So or someone li2e #lU#44ad to write a whole arti-le a$o"t an artist was a $it o a sho-2, # ter that, ' learned that SaUid -ame rom a +rominent amily and had a $rilliant -areer in the :"di-iary, a -areer that
1H

he a$andoned to dedi-ate his li e to art, 6rom then on ' made a +oint o 1oin1 to all SaUidKs exhi$itions, C,,,D Some o SaUidKs +aintin1s are still im+rinted on my mind8 *he 0irls of /ahari, *he Li<uorice Merchant, and those s+lendid +ortraits o -o"ntryside women9, *ah "& 1oes on $y em+hasi&in1 some artisti- in l"en-es es+e-ially o SaUidKs +aintin1s on his own literary +rod"-tion, Iere let "s o-"s "+on *he 0irls of /ahari, sin-e not seldom this S"rrealisti- ashioned master+ie-e, exe-"ted in 1EF? or 1EF>, has $een -onsidered a tr"e $e1innin1 o -ontem+orary +aintin1 in /1y+t $y lo-al art-historians, 'n reality, we have two versions o it, one o whi-h today in the *ahm"d SaUid *"se"m at #lexandria is lar1er and in-l"des more -hara-ters, 'n $oth versions the -entral re+resented s"$:e-ts are three -harmin1 women wal2in1 to1ether, "ll len1th and rontally +ortrayed, # lon1 trans+arent veil, the so -alled melayah laf o ten "sed in the $elly dan-e, hal -overs their a-es, 'n the $a-21ro"nd, we -an see the 0orni-he o #lexandria, so that the $ea"ti "l and ele1ant :"st a $it e4"ivo-al, indeed ladies may resem$le veiled sirens +ro-eedin1 rom the sea, #-t"ally, Bahari is the name o a +o+"lar seaside +art o the town, Get /ahari is also an ad:e-tive 1eneri-ally em+loyed to desi1n the Lower /1y+t dwellers, -lose to the *editerranean sea (in #ra$i-, bahr means 7sea9), 5ith a +oeti- +lay on words, the ori1inal title o the +aintin1 /an1t /ah1ri mi1ht so"nd li2e /an1t al5/ahri, 7Ba"1hters o the Sea9, Li2e !sman Iamdi in 3"r2ey, *ohammed Aa-im in #l1eria or #$d"l Vadir alAassam in 'ra4, al$eit in di erent ways, *ahm"d SaUid -an $e -o"nted amon1 a ew +ioneers o a i1"rative art in the 'slami- 5orld, H Ie st"died a ter 'talian +ainters in /1y+t and 6ren-h ones in Paris, Iis eman-i+ation rom the !rientalism was well ex+ressed in his de-lared +ers"asion that, 1enerally in the ield o a -ontem+orary -"lt"re, 7the 4"estion is not :"st emer1in1 and disa++earin1 o trends, rather it is the iss"e o domesti- trends in every -o"ntry9, Iowever, in his -ase li2e in others the same old +ro$lem was the irr"+tion o a i1"ral re+resentation into a non re+resentative and ani-oni- -ivili&ation, li2e that o the Near and *iddle /ast, #lso or him, willin1ly s"-h a +ro$lem -oin-ided with the 4"estion o emale veilin1 and "nveilin1, 'n itsel , easily the +i-torial re+resentation involves s"-h a 4"estion, 'n /an1t /ah1ri, on-e a1ain the +ro$lem is resolved with the ex+edient o a trans+arent veil, Nay, there, this veiled trans+aren-y is the im+lied s"$:e-t o the +i-t"re, #t
H 3o s"-h mentioned +ioneers we -an add the 'ranian *"hammad Gha ari, $etter 2nown as Namal al-*"l2 (1;<>1E<@), 'n 1E11, he o+ened 'ranKs irst #-ademy o 6ine #rts, #mon1 his dis-i+les, we have to remem$er here at least the +ainters *ahm"d !lia and #$$as Nat"&ian, 1F

the same time, *he 0irls of /ahari loo2 li2e the latest sisters o the veiled Iellenististat"ettes o 3ana1ra, admired $y the artist in a wide *editerranean retros+e-tive view, /ven more than re le-tin1 a orei1n novelty, SaUidKs art strives to +ortray his own reality and to re-over a lo-al, nearly or1otten i1"ral tradition, 'n other emale +ortrayals $y him, indeed his "nveilin1 1oes so ar, that his are some o the inest n"des in the /1y+tian and #ra$ian modern +aintin1, Get here we li2e to +ay $etter attention to 7those s+lendid +ortraits o -o"ntryside women9, mentioned $y Na1i$ *ah "&, s"-h as :aima (1EH?J Sha eiKs -olle-tion, 0airo) or 0irl with &ed -eadscarf (1E<>J sold at 0hristieKs, B"$ai, in H@@>), 3heir a-es are "nveiled, $"t a -olo"red s-ar and a dar2 veil -over the head o $oth o them, a--ordin1 to a +o+"lar "sa1e, Aather than 7Ba"1hters o the Sea9 these a++ear to $e da"1hters o the -o"ntry, as also attested $y the lands-a+e in the $a-21ro"nd, +e-"liarly in the ormer +ortrait renderin1 the li e o an /1y+tian villa1e, 3he -onversion rom !rientalism to a national i1"rative +aintin1 is now -om+lete, #nd the emale i1"re has +layed a de-isive role on this +ath, mi1ht it $e in a realisti- or s"rreal a"tonomo"s manner, /ven i *ahm"d SaUid was not the sole /1y+tian 7+ioneer9, his lesson in l"en-ed later +ainters, in the lo-al -ontem+orary art s-ene, Iere we -an :"st mention #$delal Iassan Gho"niem, $orn at Port SaUid in 1E<<, 'n his +ortrayals o -o"ntryside or +o+"lar women, s-arves and veils maintain a deal o the sed"-tiveness +er-e+ti$le in -ertain wor2s o SaUid, 6"rthermore, their ty+i-al $ea"ty and ma2e-"+ may re-all the an-ient /1y+tian, -arved or +ainted, +ortraits, li2e those dis-overed $y the ar-haeolo1ists in the oasis o #l-6ayiWm, 'n the today #ra$i- area, /1y+t is that -o"ntry, where a so stron1 +lasti- or i1"rative tradition and related ima1ery +re-eded any reli1io"s or$iddin1 o ima1es, that the artwor2s o the +ast are always s"s-e+ti$le to ret"rn to exert an as-endan-y over vis"al arts, $esides or a+art rom !rientalisti- inter eren-es, 3hen, the Sea and the 0o"ntry mi1ht so"nd li2e sym$oli- -on-e+ts o di erent dimensions and hori&ons, $etween whi-h not only a modern /astern art $"t also s+e-i i- national identities -o"ld ind their -"lt"ral ways o reali&ation,

1<

= #l+honse-Ttienne Binet, La baigneuse au) bi=ou) or 73he Jewelled Bather9J and Nees van Bon1en, Moorish (ancing 0irl (no do"$t, $oth +ainters were in l"en-ed $y +o+"lar !rientalist +hoto1ra+hers as J, Geiser or A, Lehnert and /, Landro-2) A Veiled "ronic !riticis# Both in a +i-torial and in a literary ield, the !rientalism was a -"lt"ral ashion made o re4"ent stereoty+es, 1oin1 to war+ the reality o s"$:e-ts and settin1s whi-h it +retended to +ortray, 5e have seen tho"1h, the !rientalist artists or writers dealt with a -ivili&ation -hara-teri&ed $y a or-ed la-2 o re+resentation, /asily and even "nwillin1ly, they -o"ld ill those em+ties o a i1"rative tradition with their i1"ral ima1ery or in a minor meas"re with their narrative ima1ination, 't is so m"-h tr"e, that not seldom their re+resentations -ontri$"ted to a nostal1i- sel -re+resentation $y /astern learned +eo+le, in a more or less -riti-al way, 6or instan-e, Women of Algiers in *heir Apartment, +"$lished in 1E;@ $y the #l1erian novelist #ssia B:e$ar, was ex+ressly ins+ired $y the +i-torial !rientalism o Bela-roix, ! ten re erred to !rientalisti- i-ono1ra+hy, an ironi- -riti-ism is that o todayKs artists as the *oro--an Lalla /ssaydi, *a:ida Nhattari and Iassan Ia::a:, the 'ranian Shirin Neshat and Gita *eh, the Sa"di *anal al-Bowayan or the #rmenian #$elina Gal"stian, 'ndeed, they are more +hoto1ra+hers or desi1ners than +ainters, 5hat is relevant here is that, in their +rovo-ative re-visitation, the ima1es o veiled women +lay an ex+e-ted role, 5hat is somewhat "nex+e-ted is a new -on-e+t"al -ontext and $a-21ro"nd, in a
1?

$road sense, $"t also an external and se-ondary -ir-"mstan-e re1ardin1 the history o art, # ter the somewhat o$sessive interest o the !rientalists, too lon1 the /astern reality has $een an o$:e-t o s-ar-e attention in the 5estern artisti- re+resentation, as i in -onse4"en-e o a disill"sionment or $ad -ons-ien-e $y the !--idental main stream -"lt"re, *"-h more than one h"ndred years later, still now es+e-ially in the +rod"-tion o Lalla /ssaydi some o the +ainters re erred to are Jean #"1"ste Bomini4"e 'n1res, /"1Xne Bela-roix or Jean-Lon Grme, altho"1h mainly in a +arodi- manner, By the *oro--an artist, at the same time there is an e ort in re-overin1 a non i1"rative tradition o the 'slami- art, in a 4"ite ori1inal and syntheti- way, 3he i1"res $orrowed rom those old !rientalists are re+rod"-ed in a +hoto1ra+hi- orm and wholly dressed with #ra$es4"e de-orative or #ra$i- -alli1ra+hy moti s, #lmost the same te-hni4"e is a++lied $y Shirin Neshat, to some o her wor2s, 3han2s to their artisti- int"ition, either o these +hoto1ra+her-+ainters shows how even the 4"estion o the emale veil is -onne-ted not only with a s"$-ons-io"s veilin1"nveilin1 dynami-s $"t also i not a$ove all with a re+resentation and nonre+resentation diale-ti-, 5ith the +rominent ex-e+tion o the eyes, their ima1es o veiled women are do"$le -overed $y a min"te #ra$i- -alli1ra+hy, they have to 1lan-e thro"1h in order to see the s"rro"ndin1 reality, 3hat is to mean no$ody o "s, 5estern or /astern, male or emale, or histori-al reasons the /astern emales in a orward line, -an do a+art rom his own -"lt"re $"t sho"ld try to t"rn it into a -riti-al and a"to--riti-al instr"ment $esides an identitarian one, Parti-"larly in the artwor2s o Shirin Neshat, more rarely in those o Iassan Ia::a: or exam+le, in his +i-t"re titled 3yesJ H@@> , that womanly 1a&e a-4"ires a s" erin1 or dis4"ietin1 -onnotation, whi-h is the re le-tion o dramati- -ontin1en-ies, Be-idedly tra1i- is *he Loss of %ur .dentity A$, another -om+osite ima1e o veiled woman de+i-ted $y the 'ranian artist Sade1h 3ira 2an and sold $y Sothe$yKs, London, in H@@;, No worries, they seem to ironi&e other ima1es $y Ia::a:, a -ons"merist system is a$le to ne"trali&e any head-s-ar $y red"-in1 it to a ashiona$le 1arment, #-t"ally, some o his veiled 1irls resem$le -ertain am$i1"o"s -hara-ters s2et-hed in the $est seller -olle-tion o short stories *a)i, $y the /1y+tian Nhaled al-Nhamissi in H@@>, Li2ely, the most -on-erned with s"-h a to+i- is *a:ida Nhattari, 'n H@@F-@< she +arti-i+ated in an exhi$ition in /n1land, entitled Veil, Veiling, &epresentation and Contemporary Art , to1ether with Shirin Neshat and others, *ore re-ently, in 1E1@, she sta1ed a +er orman-e in Paris and had a solo
1=

show at 0asa$lan-a, *oro--o, -entred on the same theme, 'n her +rod"-tion, -ry+ti4"otations rom the !rientalisti- +aintin1 and +hoto1ra+hy are not la-2in1, as in the +aradoxi-al series o H@@>-@; Parisian Women, Veiled@Bn'eiled, 3here, a n"de model and a "ll veiled one are riendly a-in1 ea-h other, #l$eit s+lit and -ast into a -han1ed -ontext, they may well remind "s o the a ore mentioned wor2s $y Man Bon1en or Lehnert, 5hat -o"ld a++ear a 1eneri- theori&ation is translated into vis"al messa1es in the +rod"-tion o a little 2nown 'ranian +ainter, Iossein U#li !lia, lately s+e-iali&ed in di1ital art,F Iis ar-hite-toni- learnin1 ma2es him mind $a-2 m"-h earlier than the modern !rientalism, to the Iellenisti- -ivili&ation $ased on a mimeti- re+resentation o nat"re, #lready in an-ient times it was a-ed to an !riental sym$olism and styli&ation, s"-h as in the Persian art, 'n his -om+ositions, it re-"rs a -on rontation $etween Gree2 ar-haeolo1i-al arte a-ts and a$stra-t orms more -on1enial to an /astern aestheti- sensitiveness, 'n his -om+"ter artwor2 Will of &epresentation, exe-"ted in H@@;, a yo"n1 na2ed dan-er whose a-e is hidden $y no veil $"t $y her lon1 loose hair is de+i-ted whilst emer1in1 rom a dar2 +ool en-"m$ered with 1eometri-al sha+es to a ree and enli1htened area o the +i-t"re, # ter all, we -an inter+ret this eni1mati- s-ene, the re+resentation itsel -annot $e $"t an "navoida$le ste+, as a re-"rrin1 irst one in a rise rom the "n-ons-io"s to -ons-io"sness,

F #r-hite-t as well as +ainter, son to *ahm"d !lia to1ether with the s-"l+tor Ae&a !lia (see note no, H), s"rely he $elon1s to the mainstream o -ontem+orary 'ranian art, -"rrently and "n ort"nately o+eratin1 a$road, mainly in 'taly where $oth $rothers st"died when yo"n1, 1>

> *ahm"d SaUid, *he 0irls of /ahariJ and an "ntitled +ortrait $y #$delal Iassan (H@@@J -"rrent lo-ation "n2nown) Aisha, an Unveiled $eauty% #t last, let "s ste+ $a-2 in history, 'n #ra$i-, #isha is a -ommon emale name $etter i transliterated as CDEishah , whi-h means 7lively9, #isha $int #$" Ba2r was a so yo"n1 wi e o *"hammad, that at irst she "sed to +lay with dolls in the +resen-e o him, Iere we +re er to re-all her nie-e #isha $int 3alha, da"1hter to 3alha i$n LS$ayd"llah, 5e mi1ht say, the eminine side o an early 'slami- milie" was eminently re+resented $y #isha the avo"rite wi e, 6atima the $eloved da"1hter o the +ro+het, and #isha the inde+endentminded, 3a"1ht $y her homonymo"s a"nt, she hersel 1ot well 2nown or $ein1 learned and $ea"ti "l at on-e, So m"-h, as to marry thri-e, $e ore dyin1 in >H;, She also li2ed to listen to +oets and story tellers at her own home, :"d1in1 their literary +rod"-tions, 'n her 1EE=Ks $oo2 Women2s &ebellion F .slamic Memory, the *oro--an s-holar 6atima *ernissi re+orts a tradition, 5hen as2ed or it $y her h"s$and *"sa$ i$n P"$ayr, #isha re "sed to wear the veil, with a +ro"d $"t tho"1ht "l re+ly li2e this8 7Sin-e God made me so $ea"ti "l, ' wish +eo+le may see me and re-o1ni&e Iis Gra-e in my $ea"ty, and to 1lori y Iim9, *ost +ro$a$ly that is a story rather than a tradition, /ven i so, it is s"-h as to +"t a hy+er$oli- 4"estion and to ind"-e a +hiloso+hi-al re le-tion, dealin1 with a reality whi-h is trans-endent $"t also mani ested in the ima1es o this world, *ay the emale $ea"ty wor2 as the $est ex+ression o -reation( 's this nat"ral $ea"ty s"s-e+ti$le to hel+ "s distin1"ish tr"e rom alse re+resentations( 'n menKs eyes, easily it sho"ld $e th"s, 'n realisti- or alle1ori-al ways, mysti-s as '$n L#ra$i or love +oets as #l-*"tana$$i were sensitive to an ass"m+tion li2e that, 'n a verse o the latter, an "nveiled lady is li2ened to the "ll moon, with all"sion to its hidin1 and "nhidin1 +hases, !n the other hand, an ane-dote tells o one :"rist '$n 3"mart, so stern as to throw an #lmoravid +rin-ess o her horse or she went o"t "nveiled in +"$li-8 it is also tr"e, this -o"ld $etray a lo-al im+atien-e a1ainst a de-adent #ra$i&in1 aristo-ra-y, ! -o"rse, there are other ane-dotes or alle1ed traditions a$o"t, Get mostly they denote male rea-tions or inter+retations, with the rare ex-e+tion o that as-ri$ed to #isha $int 3alha, *oreover, let "s noti-e, she said or did mean 1enerally 7+eo+le9

1;

witho"t distin-tion o 1ender, nor is there reason or thin2in1 that it was a -as"al detail, 5hat so"nds instead li2e a -oin-iden-e, or a $it more than a -oin-iden-e, is that in a modern !rientalisti- +ortrait"re willin1ly the "nveiled $ea"ties were named 7#isha9, !ne o them at least is +ainted not $y a man, $"t $y the 6ren-h woman artist *arie /lisa$eth #ime L"-as-Ao$i4"et in 1E@@, 3his Ber$er or Bedo"in Aicha is +ortrayed -lad in a lon1 estive ro$e, whilst removin1 her mantle to 1lan-e at her own visa1e re le-ted in a small mirror, 5e -an even +res"me, a--ordin1 to a then +o+"lar "sa1e, the 1or1eo"s ro$e and :ewels she wears were all her dowry or +ossession on earth, with the o$vio"s ex-e+tion o her very yo"n1 a1e and vir1inal $ea"ty, 'n Aicha, a Woman of Morocco $y the North#meri-an 6rederi-2 #rth"r Brid1man, an ele1ant "nveiled lady is de+i-ted not in a +"$lis+a-e $"t at home or in a harem, seen in +ro ile, while sittin1 on a so a and starin1 o"t o a narrow window toward an external dayli1ht (1;;FJ Newar2 *"se"m, S,S,#,), 5ith one hand s"++ortin1 her head and a m"sin1 ex+ression, she is a ty+e o +ensive woman, almost as i -onsiderin1 that her a++arent wel are is stri-tly de+endin1 on her se-l"ded -ondition, 3he !rientalisti- emale +ortrait"re is a +e-"liar 1enre, also $e-a"se with di i-"lty it -an leave o"t o -onsideration any -onnotation re1ardin1 a di erent womanly -ondition and related mentality in $oth involved so-ieties, those o the +ortraitist and o the +ortrayed, Get sometimes the artisti- int"ition itsel inds the way to an ori1inal identi i-ation, Jean6ranYois Portaels was a Bel1ian !rientalist +ortraitist, Iis ima1es o women in a +ensive +ose are so re-"rrent, with an intense 1a&e +ro-eedin1 o"t o the +i-t"re and one or $oth hands s"++ortin1 their heads, that they mi1ht loo2 li2e as many re le-tions o the "nveiled so"l o the a"thor, 'n his Aisha, +ainted at 3an1ier +ro$a$ly in the se-ond hal o the 1E th -ent"ry and sold $y 0hristieKs, London, in H@@<, a hand o the model is still holdin1 an ed1e o her white veil and is -overed $y it while 1oin1 to s"++ort her -hin, # similar Portrait of a oung :orth5African Woman, $y Portaels, li2ely is the $est !rientalisti- one ever de+i-ted, $"t this is only a +ersonal o+inion (1;><J *"se des Bea"x-#rts de 0harleroi, Bel1i"m), 'ndeed, the *oorish Aisha or Aicha &ifeGa $y Geor1e !wen 5ynne #++erley $orn in /n1land in 1;;< and died at 3an1ier in 1E=@ is somewhat more "n-overed than the others, 'n a-t, she is +ortrayed rontally and hal len1th, with a hal $are $reast (water-olo"r sold at the Bonhams #"-tion Io"se, London, in H@1@J there is also an oil version o it, datin1 to 1EF;-<@), 'n this +i-t"re o a ni-e 1irl o the *oro--an Ai , a detail worth notin1 is
1E

the +earl ne-2la-e han1in1 rom her ne-2, with a ty+i-al 1olden -harm in orm o +hamsah or 7Iand o 6atima9, 3hat is otherwise -alled 7Iand o *iriam9 $y the Jews, what 1ives "s a hint or :"st a 1lim+se at the attit"de a$o"t the emale veilin1, $y the minorities in an 'slami- -ontext, 6or exam+le, let "s -onsider the veiled Coptic Mother +ainted $y 0arl Iaa1 in 1;?E, or the Portrait of Aicha /en 0erba4, drawn $y the 6ren-h 3hodore 0hassria" at #l1iers (1;<=J +rivate -olle-tion), Li2e in other wor2s $y the same artist, +arti-"larly in this latter +aintin1 we -an admire an "nveiled Jewish #isha, as a rare testimony a$o"t the +resen-e, -ost"mes and -"lt"re o the old Se+hardi- -omm"nities in North-# ri-a,

; Lalla /ssaydi, Con'erging *erritories AHI, H@@?J and Iadeel #, Bhaher ($orn at Ba1hdad in 1E;1), /eneath the SilenceJ $elow8 Shirin Neshat, . Am .ts Secret, 1EEF, detail An &'tensive $ibliography *arina #$ramovi- and #rth"r 0, Banto (edited $y), Shirin :eshatJ New Gor28 Ai&&oli, H@1@, Bavid #, Bailey and Gilane 3awadros (edited $y), Veil, Veiling, &epresentation, and Contemporary ArtJ 0am$rid1e *#, S,S,#,8 3he *'3 Press, H@@F, Jill Bea"lie" and *ary Ao$erts (edited $y), %rientalism2s .nterlocutors, Painting, Architecture, PhotographyJ B"rham, N08 B"2e Sniversity Press, H@@H, P, Blasone, introd"-tion to the Noran in an 'talian translation, .l Corano, $y Iam&a Ao$erto Pi--ardoJ Aome8 Newton 0om+ton, 1EE= et-, P, Blasone, .l s? attra'erso l2altro nel pensiero arabo, 73he Sel thro"1h the !ther, in
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the #ra$ 3ho"1ht9, in /Jbelonline No, =, Be+artment o Philoso+hy o the 3hird Sniversity in Aome, H@@EJ +a1es H??-=<, 'n1e Boer, #nnelies *oors, 3oine van 3ee elen, Changing Stories, Postmodernism and the Arab5.slamic WorldJ #msterdam.New Gor28 /ditions Aodo+i B, M,, 1EE?, 'n1e /, Boer, After %rientalism, Critical 3ntanglements, Producti'e Loo+sJ #msterdam.New Gor28 /ditions Aodo+i B, M,, H@@F, 'n1e /, Boer, edited $y *ie2e Bal, (isorienting Vision, &ereading Stereotypes in 6rench %rientalist *e)ts and .magesJ #msterdam.New Gor28 /ditions Aodo+i B, M,, H@@?, 3it"s B"r-2hardt, Art of .slam, Language and Meaning, translated rom the 6ren-h $y Peter Io$sonJ London8 'slami- 6estival 3r"st Ltd,, 1E>= (- , the -ommemorative editionJ Bloomin1ton, 'N8 5orld 5isdom Boo2s, H@@E), Bavy Be+el-hin and Ao1er Biederen (edited $y), (e (elacroi) K 8andins+y, L2%rientalisme en 3urope, exhi$ition -atalo1"eJ Paris8 Ia&an, H@1@, Svein /n1elstad, Short /ibliography of Modern Arab Art, Z[\]^_`abcdef_ag]hijkal[m]nc[fo[\ g]pl^q_`J !slo8 Sniversity o !slo Li$rary, 1EE=, Lalla /ssaydi, Con'erging *erritories, +hoto1ra+hi- $oo2 with an essay $y #manda 0arlsonJ New Gor28 +owerIo"se Boo2s, H@@?, Lalla /ssaydi, Les 6emmes du Maroc, +hoto1ra+hi- $oo2 with an essay $y 6, *ernissiJ New Gor28 +owerIo"se Boo2s, H@@E, 0harles-Ienry 6avrod e #ndr Ao"vine&, Lehnert F Landroc+, %rient !L#I5!LM# J Paris8 *arval, 1EEE, 6adwa el-G"indi, Veil, Modesty, Pri'acy and &esistanceJ !x ord and London8 Ber1 P"$lishers, H@@F, Jamelie Iassan (edited $y), %rientalism F 3phemera, West Coast Line =<, vol, <F, no, <J 5inni+e1, 0anada8 Ii1nell Boo2s, H@1@, Jenni er Ieath (edited $y), *he Veil, Women Writers on .ts -istory, Lore, and PoliticsJ Ber2eley, 0#8 Sniversity o 0ali ornia Press, H@@;, Jean-0harles I"$ert, Jean 0eiser Photographe5;diteur d2Art, Alger, !"I"5!LHM , Paris8 Tditions '$is Press, H@@;, Peyne+ 'nan2"r, Aeina Lewis, *ary Ao$erts (edited $y), *he Poetics and Politics of Place, %ttoman .stanbul and /ritish %rientalism J Seattle, 5#8 Sniversity o 5ashin1ton Press, H@1@, #mira Jamar2ani, .magining Arab Womanhood, *he Cultural Mythology of Veils, -arems, and /elly (ancers in the BNSNJ New Gor28 Pal1rave *a-millan, H@1@, 0hristian Jo++2e, Veil, Mirror of .dentityJ Sta ord B0, #"stralia8 Polity Boo2s, H@@E, Liliane Narno"2, Modern 3gyptian Art, !L!#OH##M, revised editionJ 0airo8 #meri-an Sniversity in 0airo Press, H@@?, Aeina Lewis, 0endering %rientalism, &ace, 6emininity and &epresentationJ London8 Ao"tled1e, 1EE=, Aeina Lewis, &ethin+ing %rientalism, Women, *ra'el and the %ttoman -arem J New Br"nswi-28 A"t1ers Sniversity Press, H@@<, 6ran Lloyd, Contemporary Arab Women2s Art, (ialogues of the PresentJ London.New Gor28 ', B, 3a"ris, H@@H,

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Biane Lon1 Ioeveler and Je rey 0ass (edited $y), .nterrogating %rientalism, Conte)tual Approaches and Pedagogical PracticesJ 0ol"m$"s, !I8 !hio State Sniversity Press, H@@=, #lev Lytle 0ro"tier, -arem, *he World /ehind the Veil J New Gor28 #$$eville Press, 1EE;, 6atima *ernissi, /eyond the Veil, Male56emale (ynamics in Modern Muslim Society, revised editionJ Bloomin1ton, 'N8 'ndiana Sniversity Press, 1E;>, 6atima *ernissi, *he Veil And *he Male 3lite, A 6eminist .nterpretation of Women2s &ights in .slam, trans, *ary Jo La2elandJ New Gor28 Basi- Boo2s, 1EEH, 6atima *ernissi, Women2s &ebellion F .slamic MemoryJ London8 Ped Boo2s, 1EE=, Nadine *onem, Contemporary Art in the Middle 3ast J London8 Bla-2 Bo1 P"$lishin1, H@@E, James J"stinian *orier, A Second Journey through Persia, Armenia, and Asia Minor, to Constantinople, between the ears !"!# and !"!$J London8 Lon1man et-,, 1;1;, Silvia Nae , A la recherche d2une modernit? arabe, L2?'olution des arts plasti<ues en 3gypte, au Liban et en .ra+J Geneva8 Slat2ine, 1EE= and H@@@, Silvia Nae , 7Between Sym$ol and Aeality8 3he 'ma1e o 5omen in 3wentieth0ent"ry #ra$ #rt9, in Aandi Be1"ilhem and *an"ela *arrn (editors), Writing the 6eminine, Women in Arab SourcesJ London.New Gor28 ', B, 3a"ris, H@@H, +a1es HH1-F?, Silvia Nae , 7A"nd "m den LS-hleiers8 #ra$is-he N%nstlerinnen in der 1lo$alen N"nsts&ene9, in 6igurationen =.1 (P"ri-h8 Sniversity o P"ri-h, H@@?)J +a1es 11>-H>, Silvia Nae , L2immagine nell2.slam, trad, Gi"liana Pr"--aJ *ilan8 ! $arra ! edi&ioni, H@11, Grard de Nerval, *he Women of Cairo, Scenes of Life in the %rient , translated rom 6ren-h, with an introd"-tion $y 0onrad /l+hinstoneJ New Gor28 Iar-o"rt, Bar-e #nd 0om+any, 1EF@, Iermann L"dwi1 Ieinri-h von P%-2ler-*"s2a", Aus Mehemed Alis &eichJ *"ni-h8 *anesse, 1EE< (/n1l, trans,, *ra'els and Ad'entures in 3gypt , F vols,J London8 Parry, Blen2arn t 0o,, 1;<>), *ary Ao$erts, .ntimate %utsiders, *he -arem in %ttoman and %rientalist Art and *ra'el Literature, B"rham, N08 B"2e Sniversity Press, H@@>, Saat-hi Gallery (edited $y), Bn'eiled, :ew Art from the Middle 3ast, with an introd"-tion $y Lisa 6ar:amJ London8 Booth-0li$$orn /ditions, H@@E, /dward 5, Said, %rientalismJ London8 Minta1e Boo2s, 1E>E et-, Nada *, Sha$o"t, Modern Arab Art, 6ormation of Arab AestheticsJ Gainesville, 6L8 Sniversity Press o 6lorida, H@@>, 6ae1heh Shira&i, *he Veil Bn'eiled, *he -i=ab in Modern Culture J Gainesville, 6L8 Sniversity Press o 6lorida, H@@F, Bavid 3al$ot Ai-e, .slamic Art, revised editionJ London8 3hames t I"dson, 1E;?, 3aha 3oros, 7l+ 8ad9n &essamlar9m94, 73he 6irst 5oman #rtists Co 3"r2eyD9J 'stan$"l8 #2$an2 Gay,, 1E;;, 0ristina 3riv"l&io di Bel1io:oso, %riental -arems and Scenery, translated rom the 6ren-hJ New Gor28 0arleton, 1;=H, Baniel *artin Maris-o, &eading %rientalism, Said and the Bnsaid, re+rint editionJ Seattle, 5#8 Sniversity o 5ashin1ton Press, H@@>, Joan 5alla-h S-ott, *he Politics of the VeilJ Ber2eley, 0#8 Sniversity o 0ali ornia
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Press, H@@;, Sho:a Go"sse i #&ari (edited $y), Shirin :eshat H##H5H##$J New Gor28 0harta Boo2s, H@@?,

E 0arl Iaa1, A Coptic MotherJ and *arie /, #, L"-asAo$i4"et, Aicha ($oth o them, in +rivate -olle-tions) !opyright pinoblasone(yahoo)co# *+,,

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