Portret van Süleyman II 1692 - 1745

This is Claude DuBosc’s engraving of Süleyman II, Twentieth Emperor of the Turks, made around 1687. Engravings like this were not just simple reproductions; they played an active role in shaping European perceptions of other cultures. This image is a product of its time, reflecting Europe's fascination with and often Orientalist views of the Ottoman Empire. Note the meticulous detail in Süleyman's attire and the decorative elements, all rendered to appeal to a European audience eager for exotic imagery. To fully understand this work, historians might explore sources such as period travelogues, diplomatic correspondence, and early ethnographic studies. Such research reveals the complex interplay of power, knowledge, and representation in cross-cultural encounters. This engraving thus reminds us that art is always embedded in a web of social and institutional relations.