Standing soldier, turned toward the right side of the picture; headdress with very high upright plume; in the left hand, a bow with large feathers on both ends; in the right hand, an arrow; on his back, a quiver and at his side, a sword 1576

This engraving of a standing soldier was created by Melchior Lorck in the 16th century. Lorck, a Danish artist working during the Renaissance, served as a court artist and traveled extensively through Europe and the Ottoman Empire. Lorck’s travels inform this work, which reflects the cross-cultural encounters of his time. It depicts a soldier adorned with a headdress featuring a very high upright plume, carrying a bow, arrow, quiver, and sword. His dress blends European and Ottoman styles, indicative of Lorck’s experience in Constantinople. The image functions as both a portrait and a study of cultural representation, capturing the visual details of the soldier’s attire with ethnographic precision. Lorck's image invites us to reflect on how identities are shaped through encounters with others, and what it meant to be a soldier during this period. The emotional weight of this portrait rests in its ability to transport us to a time of shifting cultural landscapes.