Lure of the East

In Britian today, there is widespread interest in the Islamic world, coupled with a desire, made urgent by recent events, to better understand the history and legacy of past relations between Western and Islamic nations. While there have been numerous other studies of Orientalist art, this timely book will be the first to concentrate specifically on the ways in which British artists have engaged with the Islamic world, stretching from Spain and Morocco in the west, to Afghanistan in the east. It will also reveal the many ways in which the art, architecture, design, dress and topography of Islamic lands have impacted upon British art and culture. As well as providing a visual feast of works, both well-known and previously unpublished from a period ranging from the late eighteenth century to the 1920s, the book will examine other factors that have shaped the relationship between the Christian and Muslim civilizations. Beyond the straightforward desire for imperial gain, these have included the rise of tourism and the expansion of the Grand Tour into the countries of the Middle East; the development of illustrated travel literature; a religious fascination in the landscapes of the Bible; and the search by archaeological expeditions for ancient Greek, Roman and Egyptian remains. The authors will particularly explore the ways in which western myths about the Islamic world stood up to actual experience when artists travelled to the Middle East. With paintings, drawings and engravings by artists including Richard Dadd, William Holman Hunt, Edward Lear, Frederic Lord Leighton, David Roberts and Stanley Spencer, this fascinating book will demonstrate that the issues we encounter between Britain and the Islamic world remain as potent today as they were two and a half centuries ago.