Vrouw uit het Mogolrijk 1620 - 1664

Stefano della Bella created this small etching, Vrouw uit het Mogolrijk, with needle and acid. The print shows a woman from the Mughal Empire and it’s an image embedded in a specific historical context. Della Bella made it during a period of increasing European engagement with the East, particularly through trade. The Dutch East India Company, for example, was a major player in this exchange. Consider how this print, made in Europe, reflects European perceptions and representations of non-Western cultures. The figure is exoticized and presented as part of a distant and wealthy land, as evidenced by the French text at the bottom. By examining travel accounts, trade records, and other visual materials from the period, we can better understand the complex relationship between Europe and the Mughal Empire, and the role images played in shaping that relationship. The meaning of this image isn't fixed but shifts depending on its cultural and institutional context.