Feestoptocht in Pegu 1726

Bernard Picart made this print, *Feestoptocht in Pegu*, at an unknown date. It depicts a grand ceremonial procession in Pegu, now part of Myanmar. Picart never traveled to Pegu. Instead, this print, like much of his work, relied on second-hand accounts from travelers and missionaries. Here, a festive parade unfolds with elephants, horse-drawn carriages, and lines of marching figures, all set against an exoticized landscape. Consider for a moment the power dynamics at play: Picart, a European artist, interprets and represents a culture and place he’s never experienced. The print reflects the European gaze, framing Pegu and its people through a lens of otherness and colonial interest. The procession itself would have had its own internal hierarchies of power and status. As you look at this image, think about the complexities of cultural exchange and representation. How does it feel to view a place and its people filtered through someone else’s perspective?