Nicolas de Nicolay was a French soldier, geographer, and artist who traveled to the Ottoman Empire at the behest of King Henry II of France (1519–1559) as both a geographer and a spy. His travelogue/survey of the Ottoman Empire was first published in French in 1567 and, considered the first authoritative source of information about the Ottoman Empire for westerners, was often reprinted. In 1565, he was assigned by Henry II’s widow, Catherine de’ Medici (1519–1589), to survey the provinces of the French kingdom.
This depiction of a Jewish merchant is from a travelogue by French geographer Nicolas Nicolay, who is believed to have also done his own illustrations. Considered at the time a key source of…
1. A head of household, student, or youth—be he local or a foreigner, whether he eats for free, or pays for his food—may not wear a camisol [vest] of gold cloth or brocade with…
The battle between a wild bull and a lion, which are among the most powerful animals, is a common theme in ancient Near Eastern art. In this panel from Samaria, the lion’s claws are embedded in the…