A Turkish Prince on Horseback (ca. 1620–25, Met-Objekt 1045)
Original title: A Turkish Prince on Horseback
kurzbeschreibung
Pieter Soutman's etching "A Turkish Prince on Horseback" dates from around 1620–25. It shows an opulently dressed rider surrounded by other horsemen and belongs to a series of equestrian portraits.
Description
Several riders gather on an open field, the central figure standing out through his costly garment. Armed, he holds a weapon, while his companions carry guns. In the back, figures camp and stand, and dramatic clouds arch overhead. The layout feels restless, and the black-and-white rendering builds light and depth with hatching. Latin inscriptions line the lower edge of the sheet.
Context
Pieter Soutman, a Flemish painter and printmaker of the seventeenth century, made this sheet in an era when European artists eagerly took up Oriental subjects, inspired by travel accounts and diplomatic ties to the Ottoman Empire. Turkish princes as exotic rulers were in vogue at the time. The etching likely formed part of a series of equestrian portraits.
Impact
The unsettled arrangement and heavy cloud formations give the sheet a dramatic mood. Through his elaborate costume and central position, the main rider appears lofty and commanding. Fine etched lines and graduated shading make the subject emerge in detail and with vitality.
Technique
Etched lines shape the details and shadows in this print. The impression is the fourth of four states (Hollstein). Color is limited to black and white; varying density and direction of lines create the tonal gradations.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)