A Turkish Procession

Organized into a frieze, Süleyman the Magnificent's stately procession travels from left to right. The sultan sits under a canopy, surrounded by turbaned followers and two horses carrying the palanquin. The pennants, the front of the canopy, and its crest prominently display the crescent moon, symbol of the Ottoman Empire. The relatively empty background shows more of the Sultan's followers leading camels and a church and fortified building burning quickly. Süleyman had invaded Europe in 1532 but met with defeat, largely because of the Christian defense of the town of Güns in Austria. This drawing commemorates that event and was probably produced in the same year. The pageantry of the whole scene seems to have been the element that most interested Erhard Schön. In this preliminary sketch for the middle block of a large three-block woodcut, he took great care to show many details of the costumes, the various weapons each footman carries, and the intricate embroidery, fringes, and tassels of Süleyman's canopy.