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Galerie Royale de Costumes

Print
1842-3 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Hand-coloured lithograph depicting a figure from Algeria from a series of eight prints. Each lettered with title and, variously, 'Galerie Royale De Costumes'.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Titles
  • Galerie Royale de Costumes (series title)
  • Mauresque d'Alger (assigned by artist)
  • Algerian Moor (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Hand-coloured lithograph
Brief description
Hand-coloured lithograph entitled 'Mauresque d'Alger', depicting a woman from Algeria, in a series of eight, from the Galerie Royale de Costumes. France, 1842-43.
Physical description
Hand-coloured lithograph depicting a figure from Algeria from a series of eight prints. Each lettered with title and, variously, 'Galerie Royale De Costumes'.
Dimensions
  • Height: 34cm (approx)
  • Width: 24cm (approx)
Dimensions taken from departmental notes
Credit line
Purchased with the assistance of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, Art Fund, Shell International and the Friends of the V&A
Subject depicted
Places depicted
Bibliographic reference
During the medieval period, the term ‘Moor’ was commonly used to refer to Muslims of the Islamic Iberian Peninsula and North Africa, who were of Arab or Berber descent. The term comes from the Greek word mauros meaning ‘black’ or ‘very dark’ and as late as the 17th century, the Moors were supposed to be mostly black or very dark-skinned. Thus the term was often used, even into the 20th century, with the sense ‘black person’. While not necessarily a derogatory term it is archaic and inaccurate as it lumps Muslim and non-Muslim Arabs, Berbers and other Africans together. While the appearance of the term in its historical context is unlikely to cause offence, any contemporary use should be avoided.
Collection
Accession number
SP.284:4

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
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