kaymac 4.17.08

I love how some of my classes always happen to overlap at the exact same time. In art history we're studying Romanticism and the concept of The Other came up in class when we looked at this extremely exoticized piece by Delacroix called Death of Sardanapolus. Based on a romanticized poem by Byron, the picture illustrates the story of Sardanapolus, an Assyrian king who, when he realized that he could not defend himself when he heard that his enemies were coming to attack him, killed and burn all of his possessions, including himself, his concubines, and horses, so that his enemies would not own his possessions. Despite the obvious materialistic message in this painting, it also correctly portrays Orientalism and the image of The Other. It's showing this foreign king as a savage, amoral, and materialistic, willing to kill women and horses for his own ego. This painting also exoticizes concepts like death and murder through the women and the setting they are in. Also, the women, despite the exotic setting they are in, are definitely not foreign with their pasty-white skin. However, because they are naked and in this exotic setting, they themselves become The Other as well.



I think the quote from bell hooks that completely illustrates this concept and that we received from class is:

“When race and ethnicity become commodified as resources for pleasure, the culture of specific groups, as well as the bodies of individuals, can be seen as constituting an alternative playground where members of dominating races, genders, sexual practices affirm their power-over in intimate relationships with the Other.” (367)

Going back to the women, you have Assyrian men murdering extremely pale and very naked women. Even in this gruesome act, these "exotic" women still offer sex appeal with their pale skin, hefty figures, and submissive body positions and they are still offered as a commodity.