Portret van Stephan Schultz 1774

This print portrays Stephan Schultz, and was made by Christian von Mechel around the late 18th century. Looking at this image we see a man wearing what looks like a turban. This visual code signals Schultz’s identity as someone who has travelled to or lived in the East, perhaps in the service of the Dutch East India Company. The print was made in Basle, Switzerland, a location that was then on the periphery of European power structures. Switzerland at the time was known for its printmaking and its relatively liberal political culture. Prints like these are invaluable for historians. They show us how people understood the world, and give us insight into the lives of those who lived in it.