Meisje met tulband before 1839

Carel Christiaan Antony Last created this print, "Girl with a Turban," likely in the mid-19th century. The turban itself carries significant cultural weight. In 19th-century Europe, the turban was often associated with Orientalism, a Western fascination with and often distorted representation of the "exotic" East. This image, therefore, speaks to the ways European culture engaged with and interpreted other cultures. Was Last commenting on this fascination, perhaps critiquing the tendency to exoticize? The print's existence as a mass-produced image raises questions about the art market of the time. Who was the intended audience? Was it a way for people to engage with and consume images of other cultures within the comfort of their homes? To better understand this artwork, we might explore popular literature and visual culture of the time, examining how the East was portrayed and consumed by European audiences. Understanding these wider contexts is crucial to grasping the complex social and institutional forces that shaped the art of Last's era.