Portret van Mahmoud Raif Eft Efendi 1794

Nicolo Schiavonetti made this print of Mahmoud Raif Efendi, a secretary to the Ottoman embassy in London, at an unknown date. It gives us an insight into the complex cultural exchanges of the 18th and 19th centuries. The print was produced and sold in London, reflecting the city's growing role as a centre for international diplomacy and trade. The choice of the print medium itself speaks to the democratisation of art and knowledge during this period. Prints allowed images and ideas to be disseminated more widely than traditional paintings. As a historian, I am interested in the social conditions that shaped the production of this artwork. It prompts us to consider how institutions like embassies and the art market played a role in shaping cultural perceptions and diplomatic relations. Further research into the archives of the Ottoman embassy in London and the records of printmakers and publishers would help us to understand this work.