The Death of the Bassa of Anatolia 1738 - 1741

Dismar Degen painted "The Death of the Bassa of Anatolia" using oil on canvas, during a period when European artists frequently depicted scenes from the Ottoman Empire. Reflecting the power dynamics of the time, the painting presents a dramatized, likely romanticized, vision of conflict between the West and the Ottoman world. Degen, who served as a court painter, probably created this piece for a European audience. The artist portrays the ‘exotic’ East through the lens of conflict, embedded in an orientalist perspective. Images like these played a role in shaping European perceptions and reinforcing ideas about cultural and religious differences. Consider how it feels to view this painting, knowing it presents a perspective that may not fully capture the lived realities of the people it depicts. The death of the Bassa isn't merely an event but a symbol loaded with cultural and historical weight.