Portret van een Turkse vrouw 1683 - 1733

Editor: So, here we have "Portrait of a Turkish Woman," an engraving done sometime between 1683 and 1733 by Bernard Picart. The detail is incredible for an engraving; it almost feels like a staged photograph. I'm immediately drawn to the composition and wonder how accurate it is, like a genuine peek into Ottoman life. What story do you think this piece is trying to tell? Curator: It's interesting, isn't it? The almost photographic feel you mention speaks to Picart's skill as an engraver, capturing textures and light with such precision. This piece, however, dances on the line between portraiture and a glimpse into the "exotic other," very typical of the Baroque period's fascination with faraway cultures. What do you notice about the subject's gaze? Is it engaging, challenging, or something else entirely? Editor: I see...there is something detached about her eyes; they almost look straight ahead. It doesn't feel particularly inviting or personal, as I thought it would be. So, her "distance" is probably intentional. Curator: Exactly! And that is something quite common for Baroque era and the perception the artist would like to convey. She's presented almost as an object of observation, part of the opulent interior that screams wealth and power. Picart probably never met a "Sultane Asseki" or Sultana Queen, but he creates an idea of what this would look like to a western European audience. Now that you mention detachment and distance what kind of interpretation might the image's caption suggest ? Editor: "La Sultane Asseki ou Sultane Reine", is almost adding an artificial aura of authenticity while simultaneously admitting, "this is just a type of a Queen". Well, this has really changed my initial take, thank you! Curator: My pleasure. It shows how context really changes your reading. We are both learning here all the time!