Drie dronkaards in Oosterse kleding 1576

This engraving by Antoni van Leest, made around 1545-1592, depicts three inebriated figures in oriental garb, possibly under the influence of opium or 'sorbet'. Note the distinct attire of these figures—the turbans and robes marking them as 'oriental' within the European imagination. Such exoticism has roots stretching back to the Crusades, where the East was seen as a place of both allure and moral corruption. These figures, staggering and disoriented, embody the intoxicating dangers of foreign influences, tapping into long-held cultural anxieties about the exotic 'other.' Consider how the visual representation of drunkenness itself has evolved. From the Bacchanals of ancient Rome to the satirical prints of Hogarth, intoxication has been a recurring motif, a mirror reflecting societal fears about excess and moral decay. This image becomes another reiteration in the ongoing saga, capturing a moment of disorientation that resonates across time.