Portret van de sultane Cleone 1596

Editor: Here we have Theodor de Bry's 1596 engraving, "Portret van de sultane Cleone," housed at the Rijksmuseum. The level of detail in the woman's headdress is incredible! It makes me wonder – what stories might this image be trying to tell? Curator: It’s interesting how you immediately pick up on the detail, isn’t it? For me, the opulence on display is only the surface of it, no pun intended! The elaborate ornamentation reflects a Western European fascination – perhaps even a little bit of a romanticising – of the Ottoman world. Think about the context: the late Renaissance, a time of growing cultural exchange, but also of significant tension and conflict. This image attempts to capture not just the Sultan’s wife appearance, but an imagined essence. What does the image evoke in you beyond just technical skill? Editor: I guess it feels a little...distant. Almost like she's been placed in a box, admired, but not truly known. There’s the frame with its lions and little birds. Curator: Exactly! It’s a curated vision, isn’t it? Everything is carefully placed to create a specific effect for the viewer, and that limits true, natural and humane connection. Do you think that distance reflects the actual relationship between Europe and the Ottoman Empire at the time, the reality behind the fantasy? Editor: Perhaps it’s a reflection of the artist's and the European view towards other civilisations, rather than of the individual sitter. Something to think about. Curator: And something to dig into! I wonder, how do such visual constructions influence contemporary cultural relations? That’s the juicy bit, eh?