Kop van man met snor en tulband 1784

Jean-Pierre Norblin de la Gourdaine created this etching, Head of a Man with a Moustache and Turban, likely in the late 18th century. Norblin lived through a period of significant political and social upheaval in Europe, and his artistic practice reflected an interest in the diversity of human experience. Here, the turban could be understood not merely as an exotic accessory but as a signifier of cultural identity, a marker of the ‘other’ in the European imagination. I wonder, what does it mean to depict a man in a turban during a time of increasing global interaction and colonial expansion? Is it an attempt to understand or perhaps to exoticize? This portrait invites us to reflect on the complexities of cultural representation and the gaze. The expression on the man's face, etched with such care, suggests a story untold, a life lived beyond the frame. Ultimately, this small etching opens up a space for us to consider the broader implications of cultural exchange, and the power dynamics inherent in the act of portraying someone from a different background.