Perzische edelman te paard 1577

This engraving of a Persian nobleman on horseback was made by Abraham de Bruyn in the late 16th century. In this image, De Bruyn uses visual codes to establish the status of his subject as both Persian and noble. The man’s feathered headdress, bow, and spear are all Orientalist tropes which would have been familiar to a European audience at the time. This print was made during a period of increased trade and diplomatic exchange between Europe and Persia. Publications such as this one helped to shape European perceptions of Persian society, and played a role in constructing a European sense of self in relation to the ‘Orient’. By studying sources such as trade records, diplomatic correspondence, and other visual representations of Persia, we can understand the social and institutional contexts that shaped De Bruyn’s work, and gain insight into the complex relationship between Europe and Persia in the early modern period.