Grieks meisje, afkomstig uit Péra 1555 - 1568

Léon Davent created this print, "Greek Girl from Péra," using engraving techniques, likely sometime between 1540 and 1556. The composition features a standing woman, her frontal pose allowing the viewer direct engagement. Notice the stark contrast between the patterned and striped upper body and the skirt, a stylistic choice that directs the eye through a complex interplay of visual textures. The linear quality of the engraving, with its emphasis on detailed outlines and intricate patterns, invites us to consider how Davent uses line to define both form and cultural identity. The lines create a semiotic system, using codes of dress to signify the woman’s origin. These patterns and textures aren't merely decorative; they represent the cultural coding of the figure within the context of 16th-century European understandings of the 'exotic'. The woman's clothing isn’t just fabric, it is a signifier of her identity. This sign is always open to interpretation, challenging the notion of fixed or stable meanings.