Indien, plate 93 from "Recueil de cent estampes représentent differentes nations du Levant" 1714 - 1715

Jean Baptiste Vanmour created this print of an Indian man as part of a series portraying different nations of the Levant. The image is more than just a portrait; it's a product of a specific time and place, early 18th century France, reflecting the European fascination with and often misinformed understanding of the East. Visual codes like the turban, the flowing robes, and even the man's skin tone, construct an image of "India" for a European audience. This image participates in a broader tradition of Orientalism, where the East is exoticized, stereotyped, and often portrayed as inferior. Vanmour never traveled to India. His image is based on second-hand accounts and other images, shaped by the lens of European power and colonialism. To truly understand this print, we need to consider its historical context, examining travel literature, colonial documents, and other visual representations of India from that era. By doing so, we can begin to unpack the complex relationship between art, power, and representation.