Imag(in)ing Bairam

The fifth volume of the Cérémonies et coutumes religieuses de tous les peuples du monde (1723–1737) by Bernard Picart and Jean Frederic Bernard played a significant role in shaping the perception of Islam in the early 18th-century Dutch Republic and Europe. Kishwar Rizvi has argued that it challenged stereotypes by introducing novel comparative perspectives between Western traditions and Islamic rituals. However, previous research has overlooked a remarkable illustration in the volume depicting the Bairam festival. By examining the editors’ and engravers’ use of collage technique, we can appreciate how their portrayal of the Bairam festivities deviated from earlier depictions of the same feast. They employed a proto-ethnographic approach alongside other interpretational and imaginative strategies. The multitude of images within the Cérémonies not only constructed a collective perception of Islam but also facilitated a more affective engagement with Islamic culture for early modern viewers, influencing their connection to the depicted culture.