Auguste Raffet, Infanterie Turque, Constantinople, Lithograph, 1830s

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Lithograph on wove paper, realized between 1837 and 1845. Signed in the plate. Moderate foxing in the margins, light age-toning, … Read more Lithograph on wove paper, realized between 1837 and 1845. Signed in the plate. Moderate foxing in the margins, light age-toning, image area crisp and well-preserved; verso clean with only minor age spots. This striking lithograph by Auguste Raffet depicts a disciplined line of Ottoman Turkish infantry chasseurs standing at attention in parade formation. The soldiers are shown in dark tunics and light trousers, bayoneted rifles at rest, with strong, focused expressions. Raffet’s skill in portraying both the individuality of faces and the collective discipline of the formation exemplifies his mastery of military subjects. Created during his travels to the Ottoman Empire, this work reflects the period’s European fascination with Ottoman modernization and military reform, and stands as both an ethnographic record and a vivid example of Romantic Orientalism in military art. This piece is attributed to the mentioned designer/maker. It has no attribution mark and no
official proof of authenticity,
however it is well documented in design history. I take full responsibility for any authenticity



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