Tableau Général du Goût, 1797, An 5 (11) (5 aug. 1797): Jeune personne coifée et vêtue à la turque. 1797

Laurent Guyot created this print titled 'Jeune personne coifée et vêtue à la turque' in 1797. It depicts a woman dressed in what was then considered Turkish fashion. This image exists within the historical context of European Orientalism, where the "Orient" was often romanticized and exoticized. The woman’s attire, with its turban and flowing fabrics, speaks to the European fascination with the Ottoman Empire and other Eastern cultures. Yet, it also highlights the power dynamics at play, where Western perceptions shaped the representation of the "Other." Consider how clothing is not merely functional but a powerful signifier of cultural identity and status. How might the woman in this image – likely a European imagining of a Turkish woman – be seen as both fashionable and foreign? This artwork invites us to reflect on the West’s historical gaze upon the East, and how these representations can reinforce stereotypes while also inspiring admiration.