Noble Dreams, Wicked Pleasures: Orientalism in America, 1870-1930 Paperback – July 15, 2000

This book has some good printed photos of the last period of when Art which was understandable and realistic to me. You can keep the so called modern Art to others you very much!

This exhibit doesn't have a ton of Orientalist painting but it does have some good ones. The book has some good writings that are helpful in understanding the period. They also cover other orientalist artwork of the period besides paintings. If the book had more paintings I would have given it five stars. The painting on the front page is one of the best orientalist paintings I've seen, it's a personal favorite. I bought the book because I liked the book cover so much and love the title Nobel Dreams, Wicked Pleasures; it goes nicely with the cover painting. The essay describing the painting is detailed and very interesting as well. If you can get this book at a good price and like that cover painting it's worth it.

Many rarely seen examples of paintings and art objects from the era. Nice repros. Text isn't overdone, if at times at little too much pointed toward trying to psychoanalyse that period's culture. But that's a small thing.

bought not what I wanted, bad description

If you are only looking for images of orientalist art then there are better choices than this book (I would recommend the catalogue to the Tate exhibition, 'The Lure of the East'). While it does have many excellent examples of orientalist painting, what this book does is explore the effects of orientalism on American culture between the 1880's and 1920's. This includes fashion and advertising, American attitudes towards the east, and even a chapter on a Masonic Society set up with orientalist practices and rituals, including wearing a fez! The photographs and illustrations connecting orientalism with American culture are just as interesting as the examples of painting. I would recommend this to anyone interested in American history, American culture, or American art.