Prestre de la Loy, plate nine from Caravanne du Sultan à la Mecque 1748

"Prestre de la Loy" (Priest of the Law) is the ninth plate from Joseph Marie Vien's "Caravanne du Sultan à la Mecque" (The Sultan's Caravan to Mecca), a series of etchings created in 1748. The print depicts a seated figure draped in a long robe, likely a Muslim cleric, with a young boy standing behind him. This scene, a visual representation of a religious leader and his young companion, reflects the growing fascination with Eastern cultures in 18th-century Europe, further fueled by Vien's own travels to the Ottoman Empire. The detailed etching style, capturing the texture of the clothing and the landscape, highlights Vien's mastery of this art form. The print is currently housed at the Art Institute of Chicago.