Turc, qui fait sa priere, plate 42 from "Recueil de cent estampes représentent differentes nations du Levant" 1714 - 1715

This print, "Turc, qui fait sa priere" was made by Jean Baptiste Vanmour, part of a series depicting different nations of the Levant. Vanmour, a painter from the Netherlands, was employed by the French ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, and was known for his detailed depictions of Ottoman life and customs.   In this print we see a Turkish man in prayer. Images such as these were often created for a European audience, feeding into a fascination with the "exotic" cultures of the East. But how do these representations intersect with the actual lives and identities of the people depicted? Vanmour sought to document and represent the diversity of the Ottoman Empire, yet his work also reflects the power dynamics inherent in cultural exchange between Europe and the East. Consider the role of the artist in shaping perceptions of other cultures, and how these images might have been received and interpreted by different audiences, both then and now. How does it feel to view this image today?