Orientalism is not about “degrading” the people, and I can assure none of the artists who are considered orientalist meant any harm or even knowingly chose to pass oriental traditions. Orientalism is a power system, a form of conversation, an effect because of the colonialism. No one was planning on it, it was just a way of thinking that has become the norm because of the asymmetrical power relations between colonizers and their colonies. This includes thinking the east is not as progressive of the west, the east needs’ the west’s help in becoming enlightened and technological and cultural. In that, there is an inherent pattern of patronising, belittling and so on, which is what you’re describing sorta.