Portret van Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz 1775 - 1840

This engraving by Ernst Ludwig Riepenhausen portrays Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, though the exact date of its creation eludes us. Note the turban-like headwear, a seemingly exotic element in a European portrait. These ‘Turkish’ styles gained traction in Europe, becoming a symbol of intellectual curiosity and cosmopolitanism. Yet, such Orientalist appropriations often carried deeper, subconscious currents of fascination. The turban's presence echoes through history, resurfacing in various guises, from religious headdresses to symbols of status. Across cultures, the turban-like form reappears, each time subtly transformed by its context. The image speaks of cultural exchange, yet it is grounded in the psychological complexities inherent in the act of borrowing and reinterpreting foreign symbols. The power lies not merely in its historical accuracy but in its enduring capacity to stir our collective memory.