Maaltijd van voorname Turkse vrouwen c. 1720 - 1737

Jean Baptiste Vanmour painted ‘Meal of Prominent Turkish Women’ using oil on canvas. The visual impact of this painting is really based on the textures that Vanmour has been able to evoke with his brushwork. Look closely, and you'll see how he's used varying paint application techniques to describe different materials. The sheen of the silks, the dullness of the wool, and the smoothness of the skin create a tactile quality, inviting you to imagine the feel of each surface. In the 18th century, oil painting was a laborious process, involving the grinding and mixing of pigments, and the careful layering of glazes to achieve depth and luminosity. Vanmour was trained in this tradition, and his skill in manipulating the material of paint is evident in the level of detail and realism he achieved. The ways in which he depicts clothing, and particularly the headdresses, reveals an attention to the social standing of his subjects. Paying attention to materials and making reveals the time and skill required to produce such a painting, underscoring its value as a commodity and as a representation of social status.