Translated from the French, tableau vivant means ‘living pictures.’ The dramatic genre peaked in popularity between 1830 and 1920. It designated a cast of actors remaining still and silent for approximately thirty seconds on a stage while representing scenes from literature, history, art, or daily life. Often a large wooden frame would outline the stage, referencing a painted canvas. The tableau vivant found a natural home in early photography with its emphasis on posing, costumes, make-up, and lighting. Essaydi discusses how her work is haunted by space and every aspect of her photographs is staged. She uses extensive henna calligraphy on everything in the picture frame, which she paints exclusively by hand. In her desire to recreate art, history, and the everyday life of Arab women, Essaydi makes extensive use of the tableau vivant in her work.
In conclusion, Essaydi’s large format photography and use of the tableau vivant capture exactly what is in front of her lens. There is no manipulation in the artist’s photographic process, and thus Essaydi allows the subject be the focal point of the work even as she reframes older Orientalist paintings. Her work blends painting and photography in a way that uniquely combines innovation and traditionalism.