Where can I see Turkish sultans, sultanas and other historical figures?

Turkish sultans, sultanas and other historical figures is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is Turkish sultans, sultanas and other historical figures?

Turkish sultans, sultanas and other historical figures is associated with Baroque.

Artwork

Turkish sultans, sultanas and other historical figures

Turkish sultans, sultanas and other historical figures is a print by the Baroque artist Lucas Kilian. It dates from 1622 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

" The print looks like it was made around 1622, when artists often used sharp contrasts between light and dark.

This black-and-white print shows a man in a tall, pointed hat with a fur collar. His face is serious, with a mustache and short hair. The background is plain, but the edges of the frame curve outward with fancy swirls and Latin words.

The title above his head reads *"Sultan Hotomannus, Turcarum Imperator"*—meaning "Sultan of the Ottomans." The print looks like it was made around 1622, when artists often used sharp contrasts between light and dark.

Look up chiaroscuro to see how this technique makes faces pop in old prints.

Overview

Around 1622 the German engraver Lucas Kilian produced a black‑and‑white portrait print titled *Turkish sultans, sultanas and other historical figures*. The image presents a dignified Ottoman ruler, identified by an inscription as “Sultan Hotomannus, Turcarum Imperator,” set against a plain background and framed by ornamental scrollwork and Latin lettering. The work is part of the Victoria and Albert Museum’s print collection.

Subject & Meaning

The central figure is rendered as a solemn man wearing a tall, pointed cap trimmed with fur, his short hair and mustache emphasizing a formal, authoritative presence. By labeling him as the “Emperor of the Turks,” the print aligns with early‑seventeenth‑century European curiosity about Ottoman power, offering a visual record of a foreign ruler for a Western audience.

Technique & Style

Kilian employed fine line engraving to achieve strong contrasts of light and shadow, a chiaroscuro effect that gives the face a three‑dimensional quality. The surrounding frame features elaborate swirls and classical Latin script, typical of the period’s decorative borders, while the overall composition balances detailed portraiture with a stark, unadorned backdrop.

History & Provenance

Created while Kilian was active in Augsburg’s Custos workshop, the print reflects his broader output of portraiture alongside mythological and anatomical subjects. It entered the Victoria and Albert Museum’s holdings through acquisition of historic European prints, where it remains catalogued as an example of early modern cross‑cultural representation.