Bust of a Young Woman with a Turban 1808 - 1812

Giuseppe Longhi created this engraving titled "Bust of a Young Woman with a Turban" in the late 18th or early 19th century. At that time, turbans were a fashionable item, associated with exoticism and the Orient. Yet, their presence in Western portraiture also speaks to a history of cultural appropriation and the romanticization of the "other." Consider how this image participates in constructing ideas about beauty and identity. The woman’s gaze is direct, yet her expression remains ambiguous, inviting the viewer to project their own desires and interpretations onto her. The turban, while adding an element of the foreign, also serves to frame her face, drawing attention to her idealized features. Longhi's engraving captures the complexities of cultural exchange and representation, reminding us to critically examine the ways in which we perceive and portray one another. It prompts us to reflect on the power dynamics inherent in acts of looking and the stories we tell about ourselves and others.