"Sultan Selim d. 3..." 1796

This engraving, “Sultan Selim d. 3…”, made by an anonymous artist, reflects the European fascination with and misrepresentation of Ottoman culture. At the center, Sultan Selim III sits enthroned, while attendants, likely enslaved people, perform a ritualistic burning of books. The image constructs an Orientalist narrative, framing the Ottoman world as despotic and barbaric, in contrast to European Enlightenment ideals. The burning of books carries heavy symbolic weight. What knowledge is being destroyed here? Who decides what is worthy of preservation? This act of censorship and cultural erasure speaks to the power dynamics between colonizer and colonized, oppressor and oppressed. The identities of those depicted are flattened into stereotypes, reinforcing a dehumanizing gaze. Ultimately, this engraving serves as a stark reminder of how cultural biases can shape our understanding of history, and the importance of questioning dominant narratives.