Ein Bischof predigt den Türken 

Giuseppe Porta, an artist working in 16th-century Italy, made this pen and wash drawing of a bishop preaching to Turkish people. But what does this image tell us about the public role of art in that period? In the 1500s, the Ottoman Empire’s expansion was a major preoccupation for European powers, including the Papal States. The visual codes in this drawing would have reinforced a sense of cultural difference. The so-called “Turks” are shown reclining on the floor, passively listening, while the bishop stands above them, actively preaching. The drawing normalizes the idea of Christian authority. It’s unlikely that Porta ever witnessed such a scene, so we can understand this image as a kind of political propaganda, intended to reassure the Christian population of their own religious superiority. As historians, we can draw on sources, such as political pamphlets, maps, and even fashion trends, to understand the role of art in shaping public perceptions and justifying international relations.