Mustapha Khaznadar 1846

Charles-Philippe Lariviere painted this portrait of Mustapha Khaznadar, a powerful Tunisian politician, rendering him in oil with meticulous detail. Note the fez he wears, a symbol laden with history. Originating in ancient Greece as a brimless hat, its adoption by the Ottoman Empire transformed it into a potent signifier of modernity and reform. Yet, the fez's journey doesn't end there. We see echoes of it in various forms throughout history, from the Phrygian caps of revolutionary France to the headdresses of medieval scholars, each bearing a trace of cultural memory. The fez, a symbol of power and identity, speaks volumes about the complex interplay between tradition and change, reflecting our ceaseless quest for meaning in the objects that adorn us. Its recurrence engages viewers on a deep, subconscious level. As this symbol resurfaces, it continues to evolve, its meaning shaped anew with each historical turn.