Representations of Ottoman Interpreters by Western Painters
Representations of Ottoman Interpreters by Western Painters
Author(s): Aykut GürçağlarSubject(s): History, Fine Arts / Performing Arts, Visual Arts, The Ottoman Empire
Published by: Akadémiai Kiadó
Keywords: art history; interpreting history; interpreters in the Ottoman Empire; visual representations of interpreters; interpreting and politics; interpreters and society;
Summary/Abstract: This study explores the representations of Ottoman interpreters in a number of selected paintings and engravings by western artists. The purpose of the paper is to describe and analyse the position of the interpreter as a political and diplomatic figure within the pictorial composition, basing itself in historical facts about Ottoman interpreters. I will start the paper by a brief discussion on the history of the interpreting profession in the Ottoman Empire and then move on to exploring the paintings where I will touch upon issues such as the traditional costumes, postures and physical positions of interpreters. I will question whether these elements were uniform in different representations by different artists or whether they displayed certain variances.
Journal: Acta Orientalia Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae
- Issue Year: 57/2004
- Issue No: 2
- Page Range: 231-242
- Page Count: 12
- Language: English
- Content File-PDF