Pijprokende Turken. 1850 - 1899

This is a damask napkin decorated with a representation of smoking Turks by gebroeders Rath. Napkins such as this were used in the colonial context, during a time when there was increased trade with other countries and goods from abroad became more accessible to the European market. Representations such as these exoticized the figure of the 'other'. The romanticization and stereotyping of people from different cultures often occurred without regard for their actual experiences or perspectives. Such seemingly innocuous objects carry a heavy history, one that speaks to the complex interplay between trade, representation, and cultural identity. A delicate, intimate, everyday object, it is a reminder of the power of representation and its impact on cultural perceptions.