Turkse olieworstelaars 1585 - 1604

Romano Alberti made this print called "Turkse olieworstelaars," or "Turkish Oil Wrestlers," using etching. In it, we see an imagined Turkish landscape, where the figures’ dress and physiognomy attempt an ethnographic record. But what kind of record? And to what end? The scene, though exotic, depicts a recognizably social sporting event. The artist uses particular details to evoke the orient, while using the familiar form of wrestling to emphasize the commonality of cultures. The print may reflect the cultural and political circumstances of its time; perhaps it was made during a period of conflict or trade between Europe and the Ottoman Empire. What we see in it will always be affected by the politics of imagery, filtered as it is through the lens of cultural difference. Historical research into travelogues and costume books, for instance, will give us a deeper understanding of the print’s meaning as it was originally conceived. By looking into the artist's sources, we can appreciate the layers of interpretation embedded in this scene.