A Struggle in a Desert
- Artist: French
- Date: 19th century
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is the "A Struggle in a Desert" painted in the French tradition. We see a white woman being attacked by a Middle-Eastern man who wears a turban, while another man lies dead at their feet. The painting's unsigned and probably dates from the early nineteenth century, with some attributing it to Alexandre-Gabriel Decamps. It's an example of Orientalist art, which presents an imagined view of the Middle East and North Africa.
Orientalism was a popular style in Europe during the 19th century, reflecting both desires and delusions of the Western world. These paintings often depicted scenes of violence and brutality against white people by imaginary villains from the East. As such, they could serve as political propaganda for colonial expansion. Notice the dramatic action and striking contrasts of light and dark in this piece, characteristic of Decamps's style.
It's also possible that this painting references a 16th-century work, possibly Italian.
See it in person
A Struggle in a Desert hangs in The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
