Tartara m(ulier) before 1558

Enea Vico made this print called ‘Tartara Mulier’ sometime in the mid-16th century. In it, a woman in elaborate dress is looking up and putting her finger to her mouth, as if sucking on it. To her right is a signpost that gives us her identity: Tartara. Vico was active in Italy and like many artists of this period, he was interested in costume books, and the representation of dress. In this image, it is likely that Vico is presenting the clothing of someone who is exotic. The costumes and customs of non-European peoples were of great interest at this time to a European audience. The dress of this Tartar woman might indicate her origin in central Asia. It could also signify something more symbolic. Perhaps Vico is making a commentary on the unfamiliar customs of people from far away. What can we say about the role of institutions like the museum in presenting images like this? It is vital to undertake research into the cultural context from which these works came, and the ways that historical institutions were complicit in the construction of images of the ‘other’.