Slagveldscène met Turken 1635 - 1650

Willem van Lande created this battle scene with turks sometime between 1610 and 1650 using engraving. This battle scene reflects the complicated relationship between Europe and the Ottoman Empire during that time. The work provides insight into the cultural imagination of the time, revealing a mix of fear, fascination, and othering of the 'Turk'. Van Lande's choice to depict the battle from a clearly Western European perspective places the viewer in a position of cultural and perhaps even moral authority. It's important to consider how such images contributed to constructing and perpetuating stereotypes about the 'Orient.' What is compelling about this image is the chaotic violence of the scene. The artist invites us to reflect on the human cost of conflict, urging us to question the narratives we inherit about cultural and religious differences.