Portret van de sultane Corasi 1596

This engraving, "Portret van de sultane Corasi" was made by Theodor de Bry in the late 16th century. It depicts Corasi, wife of the Shah of Persia, and presents us with interesting questions about the cultural and political relations between Europe and the Middle East during the Renaissance. The image itself, with its decorative frame featuring flora, fauna, and Latin inscriptions, is a product of European printmaking traditions. It reflects a fascination with, and perhaps also a certain exoticization of, the East. Consider the way Corasi is presented, adorned with jewels and elaborate headwear. How might this image have been received by European audiences at the time? What did it communicate about power, gender, and cultural difference? To understand this print fully, we need to look at the historical context, the circulation of images, and the power dynamics at play. By researching period accounts and other visual materials, we can begin to understand the complex relationship between representation and reality in this early modern portrait.