The Sheik
Medium
Drawing
Classification
Drawing
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Laura Dreyfus Barney and Natalie Clifford Barney in memory of their mother, Alice Pike Barney
Accession Number
1972.181.7
Tags
Art Historical Context
**The Sheik** is an evocative undated drawing by Alice Pike Barney a prominent American artist and arts patron active in Washington, D.C., during the late 19th early 20th centuries.uring a waist-length portrait of an aristocratic figure in traditional Arabian dress and hat, the work embodies the era's fascination with Orientalism—a Western artistic trend romanticizing Middle Eastern cultures. Barney, known for her vibrant portraits and theater-inspired scenes, likely drew from cultural imagery popular in her time, evoking mystery and exotic allure. As a drawing from the Smithsonian American A...