Three views of the head of a man with a mustache wearing a turban 1727 - 1800

Francesco Casanova made this print, around the late 18th century, using etching. The image shows a mounted man with a mustache and turban. He is a musician, holding drum sticks, and sits astride a rearing horse. Prints like these were often circulated among collectors and other artists in cosmopolitan centers like Venice or Paris, which were then crucial to the development of the art market. Casanova’s image makes use of the vogue for exoticism and orientalism that was already widespread by this time. But how far does the image romanticize its subject? Does it exoticize the man, making him seem unlike the European viewer, or does it present him as a figure of power and prestige? Does the act of drumming have any social or cultural significance in this context? To answer such questions, the historian can refer to a range of period sources. These might include travel writing, costume books, and collections inventories. By drawing on these resources, we can better understand the social context in which the image was made, and explore the artist's representation of cultural difference.