The Slave Market
Jean-Léon Gérôme · 1866
Why it's great
A young woman is being sold at an oriental slave market and is displayed to buyers. Gérôme painted many scenes of the Middle East that he imagined from travel, and this painting shows a cruel practice. Today the artwork is mainly valued as a record of how Europeans looked at the world, and for what it teaches about the injustice of slavery. It's studied as much for history as for art.
🏛️ Part of history
Slavery & the Fight for Freedom (1780–1865) — Gérôme shows a slave market in the Ottoman world, a scene that was meant to shock Western viewers.
Where to see it
📍 Clark Art InstituteWilliamstown, Massachusetts, United States
Open in Maps ↗Hang it on your wall
Three places to look for a print of this painting, from budget to museum-grade:
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Jean-Léon Gérôme was born in Vesoul, France, and became one of the most successful painters and teachers in Paris. He traveled to Egypt and the Middle East and painted lively scenes from ancient and modern life. He was also a sculptor. His students came from around the world.
