Costume Study for Bassa Selim in the "Abduction from the Seraglio" by W.A. Mozart 1825 - 1835

Johann Georg Christoph Fries's "Costume Study for Bassa Selim in the 'Abduction from the Seraglio' by W.A. Mozart" (1825-1835) is a watercolor painting depicting a figure dressed in elaborate Ottoman-inspired clothing. The study is a preparatory work for a stage production of Mozart's opera, "The Abduction from the Seraglio". Fries captures the detail of the costume worn by the character Bassa Selim, a powerful Pasha, with a focus on the luxurious fabrics and the ornate details, like the jeweled belt and feathery turban. The watercolor is currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.