Portret van sultan Alhierius 1600 - 1604

Curator: Let's have a look at this portrait of Sultan Alhierius. It’s an engraving, created sometime between 1600 and 1604 by Dominicus Custos. It's currently held here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: Immediately, I’m struck by the heavy, ornamented fabrics, particularly the Sultan's hat and the decoration around his chest. They give an impression of wealth and power. I can only imagine the time and skill invested into creating the actual garments. Curator: Absolutely, and the artist mirrors this sense of value by utilizing the fine lines of the engraving to represent the detailed texture. The careful crosshatching to build up shadows is particularly remarkable. The availability of this type of portrait print also speaks to increased mobility of images and how Europeans encountered ideas of people from afar. Editor: Precisely. And look at the specific emblems adorning his turban. I see several variations of what appear to be jewels with geometric inlays – possibly carrying family or religious significance, signifying status and lineage. Those aren’t just ornamental flourishes, are they? Curator: Very likely not. These are intentional displays of identity, circulated intentionally for diplomatic purposes. In the making of the print, one can appreciate that the engraver made sure these details stood out to emphasize those ideas. Editor: It’s a potent reminder of how visual culture functioned then—as a form of documentation, power projection, and maybe even exoticism through representing the Tartar King to Europeans. Those minute choices speak volumes! Curator: Indeed. By closely examining the craftsmanship and materiality, we get a clearer picture of art as embedded in historical and cultural exchanges, where representation of wealth and material status were intentionally coded. Editor: And, by decoding the symbolic language within, the image becomes a layered text, whispering secrets about a society that, in many ways, is so distant and different, but that reveals universal values like honor and dynastic power.