Portret van Mohammed Ali, gouverneur van Egypte 1830 - 1905

This is Edouard Vermorcken's 'Portrait of Mohammed Ali, Governor of Egypt'. It was made in the 19th century and is an engraving of a painting, part of a series of portraits of rulers and important figures of the time. The portrait reflects the complexities of identity and power during a period of intense colonial interactions. Vermorcken, a European artist, depicts Ali, an Ottoman Albanian commander who became the Wāli of Egypt and Sudan, and his entourage in a way that merges elements of Orientalism with a nod to Ali's ambition to modernize Egypt. Ali is portrayed on horseback, a symbol of authority, and his clothing suggests both his Ottoman roots and his status as a modernizing ruler. The portrayal invites us to consider the dynamics between colonizer and colonized, and how cultural representation can be intertwined with power and historical narratives. It encourages us to look at how personal and political identities are shaped and represented during times of cultural exchange and conflict.