A young man with his head lowered

A young man with his head lowered

Print

Throughout the Oriental Heads series, Castiglione consistently simplified the figures’ headdresses. The etching A young man with this head lowered is a perfect example of this abbreviation. The turban worn by the man appears to be one loose piece of cloth, quickly wrapped around the man’s head. While the turban automatically implies the Orient, this particular example is not an instance of the intricate, extravagant costuming often associated with the Ottoman Empire in the early modern period. The relatively simple headdress in this print exposes Castiglione’s use of abbreviated costuming, suggesting his continuation of the “visual shorthand” associated with the Turkish type.

Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione

Royal Collection Trust

late 1640s

Public Domain

Part of the Series of Oriental Heads

Still Image

RCIN 830471.k

Etching

platemark 110 x 80 mm