Group of four standing men in oriental costume 1795

Adam von Bartsch created this etching of four men in "oriental costume" in 1795. These figures invite us to consider the European fascination with the "Orient" and the politics of representation that accompanied it. Fashionable dress, particularly that of non-Europeans, was a common theme in the graphic arts of the late 18th century. These images often reflected and reinforced existing social hierarchies and power dynamics. Bartsch, an Austrian artist working in Vienna, would have been acutely aware of the Ottoman Empire and its complex relationship with Europe. The artist's choice of etching, a printmaking technique, suggests a desire for reproducibility and wide dissemination of the image. The image speaks to issues of cultural appropriation and the construction of identity through dress. By consulting sources such as fashion plates, travel literature, and diplomatic records, we can gain a deeper understanding of the cultural context in which this etching was produced and its role in shaping European perceptions of the "Orient."