Mahomet, a Turkish Merchant
1741
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1741
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This is a black-and-white portrait of a man with a long beard and braided hair. He’s wearing a tall, fur-lined hat and a loose robe. The lines are scratchy and detailed, almost like they were drawn with a sharp tool. The title at the bottom says he’s a Turkish merchant named Mahomet, captured by pirates and sold as a slave before escaping. The artist signed it in 1741. Next, look up etching, drypoint, aquatint to see how this kind of print was made.
