Auguste Raffet, Recruteurs Turcs (Bashi-Bazouks), Lithograph, 1857

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Lithograph on wove paper, published by Ernest Bourdin, Paris. Signed in the plate. A powerful orientalist composition by Auguste Raffet, … Read more Lithograph on wove paper, published by Ernest Bourdin, Paris. Signed in the plate. A powerful orientalist composition by Auguste Raffet, depicting a group of Ottoman irregulars, the infamous bashi-bazouks, known for their distinctive dress and fearsome reputation. The men stand confidently in the foreground, with turbans, sashes, and scimitars prominently displayed, their muscular physiques rendered with Raffet’s sharp attention to anatomical detail. Behind them, the faint silhouette of minarets evokes the Eastern setting. Raffet, celebrated for his military lithographs, here combines ethnographic interest with dramatic staging, part of the 19th-century fascination with exoticism and the Ottoman Empire. Printed by Lemercier, one of the leading lithographic houses of the period. Condition: Light overall toning with scattered foxing, especially in the margins; image well-preserved with strong contrasts. 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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