Kadi van de islamitische slaafgemaakten op Malta 1778

Louis Ducros created this small watercolor drawing, titled "Kadi van de islamitische slaafgemaakten op Malta," which translates to "Judge of the Islamic slaves on Malta." Notice the artist's emphasis on line and shape to define form within the composition. Ducros uses delicate, precise lines to depict the figure of the seated Kadi, emphasizing the contours of his clothing and facial features. The muted palette, dominated by whites and soft pinks, creates a subdued, almost ethereal quality. The composition centers on the figure, but it is his posture and props that are doing the most work. The Kadi is depicted with a long smoking pipe. This functions as a symbolic indicator of status but also of cultural difference, marking him as 'other.' The formal qualities, therefore, intersect with the complex politics of representation and cultural identity. Ducros offers an interpretation of power dynamics and cultural otherness.