Hab.ts de l' Arabie from playing cards "Jeu d'Or" 18th century

This 18th-century playing card from the “Jeu d’Or” deck depicts a scene of a man on horseback and a standing figure. The man is dressed in bright orange, yellow and blue attire, and is armed with a spear. The card is from a deck that combined both playing card functions and illustrative images, and in this case the image appears to be a depiction of the people of the Arabian Peninsula. The deck is currently part of the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. “Hab.ts de l’Arabie” is a depiction of a person of Arabic descent, with a caption that refers to the person as a “habitant of Arabia.” The card is a prime example of 18th-century visual and social commentary.