Catalan painter Marià Fortuny i Marsal (1838-1874) and Henri Regnault (1843-1871), from Paris, were important representatives of an art influenced by the Orient. This transregional study compares key works by the painters, and analyzes the reception of Morocco in the art of Spain and France; the outcome is a multifaceted, differentiated picture of European orientalism in painting during the second half of the 19th century. The analysis focuses on artist networks and reciprocal exchange processes between French and Spanish Moroccan painters, as well as on Spanish orientalism, which has been neglected in research up until now. Due to its cultural heritage from Al-Andalus, Spain was often considered part of the 'Orient' in the 19th century. Reception of Morocco by European artists in the pre-protectorate period First examination of Spain's previously neglected 19th century orientalism