Russians and Turks 1764

Daniel Chodowiecki created this etching, titled "Russians and Turks," sometime in the late eighteenth century. In the foreground, we see three seated figures who are visibly distinct in terms of their ethnicity, dress and attitude. Made in Germany, this print reflects the period’s fascination with, and anxieties about, the racial and cultural Other. The figures are passively observed by a group of standing men in the background. The print’s title makes an explicit reference to the geopolitical tensions between Russia and Turkey at the time, but its primary focus is on the representation of human difference. Chodowiecki uses clothing and physiognomy as visual codes. This could have been read by contemporary audiences as a commentary on the social and political hierarchies in Europe and its colonies. To understand this image more fully, scholars consult travel literature, political pamphlets, and the period’s burgeoning field of ethnography. Ultimately, it underscores the role of art as both a reflection of, and a participant in, the social dynamics of its time.