Indien, plate 93 from "Recueil de cent estampes représentent differentes nations du Levant"

Art Historical Context

This striking print, titled *Indien*, comes from the influential 1714–15 publication *Recueil de cent estampes représentant différentes nations du Levant*. Created through etching and engraving by Gérard Jean Baptiste Scotin I after designs by Jean Baptiste Vanmour, it forms plate 93 of a series documenting the diverse peoples of the Ottoman Empire and surrounding regions. Published by Jacques le Hay, the volume offered European audiences one of the most detailed visual records of Eastern dress and customs at a time when travel to these lands remained rare. Vanmour, a Flemish artist working in Constantinople, captured the multicultural fabric of the Levant with remarkable precision. His images, faithfully translated into prints, served both as ethnographic studies and as elegant costume illustrations. The depiction of an Indian man reflects the broader European fascination with global cultures during the early eighteenth century, when trade routes connected distant lands and collectors eagerly sought images of “exotic” figures. As a fine example of reproductive printmaking, the work demonstrates how etching and engraving allowed intricate details of clothing and posture to reach a wide audience. Today it offers modern viewers a fascinating window into early modern perceptions of identity and cultural exchange.

About the Artist

Jacques le Hay|Jean Baptiste Vanmour|Gérard Jean Baptiste Scotin I (French| ) · 1671 |1650 –1737 |1750

French, Valenciennes 1671–1737 Istanbul (Constantinople)|