French Morea Expedition of 1828-1833: the Origins of Colonial Discourse

Abstract

Philhellenism existed in European society long before to the Morea expedition, the latter only exacerbated this tendency. The expedition helped to transform the superficial interest into a scientific interest, since its materials formed a scientific and aesthetic luggage, which remained one of the best for many years for European scientists who were unable to visit the region in person. The ancient Greek ruins aroused the admiration and awe of Europeans who saw in them a largely romanticized past. Officers, soldiers and people of art became the first group to form a collective memory of the past. For them, these events were emotionally colored. When they return home, scientists, artists, and even officers will become carriers and translators of this collective memory in French society. This group was the bearer of information about the monuments and treasures of the ancient Greeks, the key events, the most important details of Greek antiquity – the cradle of European civilization and its values.

The scientific Morea expedition was important for the expansion of knowledge about Greece as a country and its ancient heritage. In architecture, sculpture, painting, furniture, and decorative art, ancient Greek motives were actively used – usually in a much romanticized and ornate form. After the expedition, European museums and numerous collectors began to show increased interest in Greek culture. The downside of this interest was the active plundering of the country’s cultural heritage. Another result of the expedition was that science began to be regarded as “politics of the XIX century”.