Sculpted images of African men and women were rarely shown in public galleries before the 19th century, but Charles Cordier’s plaster bust of Said Abdullah had a tremendous reception, when it was displayed at the 1848 Paris Salon. Finished in two weeks, the bust reflects the mid-19th century European fascination with non-Western physiognomy, costumes and customs, later characterised as Orentalism. In 1851 Cordier made a pendant bust of a female entitled African Venus [now in Royal Collection of the Osborn House, Isle of Wright, England] and bronze casts of both busts were commissioned, indicating the growing crossover of cultures as Africa becamemore accessible with improved methods of transportation and trade.