A Moorish horseman facing the left, standing and seated Turks in the middle ground, and other horsemen in the background, from 'Figures on Horseback' (Cavaliers nègres, polonais et hongrois) 1646 - 1656

Stefano della Bella made this print, ‘A Moorish horseman’, in the 17th century using etching. It depicts an exoticized scene of equestrian figures from different cultures: Moorish, Turkish, and Hungarian. This image reflects the cultural fascinations and the power dynamics of 17th-century Europe. The artist, an Italian, likely drew on secondhand knowledge and stereotypes, creating a pastiche of different ‘Eastern’ cultures. The print participates in a broader European discourse about the ‘Orient’ which served to define Europe itself in contrast to the ‘Other’. The figures are presented as noble and picturesque, but also as somewhat strange and foreign, reinforcing a sense of European superiority. To understand this print fully, one needs to explore the history of Orientalism and the role of prints in disseminating cultural stereotypes. Research into costume books and travel narratives can provide context, revealing the complex interplay of fascination, misunderstanding, and power that shaped such images.