Etat de leurs esclavage chez le Roy de Maroc - Gaspard Duchange

A detailed eighteenth-century etching by Gaspard Duchange depicting a historical scene of forced labour and royal authority in Morocco.

This etching, titled 'Etat de leurs esclavage chez le Roy de Maroc', is a work by the French engraver Gaspard Duchange. It depicts a scene of forced labour and subjugation, set against an architectural backdrop suggestive of North African fortifications. The composition is divided into two distinct zones: the left side features a royal figure seated beneath a canopy, shaded by a large palm tree, while the right side shows figures engaged in manual construction tasks.

The print demonstrates the technical precision characteristic of early eighteenth-century French printmaking. Duchange employs varied line weights to define the textures of the stone walls, the drapery of the canopy, and the foliage of the trees. The perspective is constructed to draw the eye from the foreground figures towards the distant city walls, creating a sense of scale and spatial depth. The figures are rendered with a focus on narrative clarity, capturing the physical strain of the labourers and the authoritative posture of the seated monarch.

Such works were often produced as part of larger travelogues or historical accounts, intended to provide European audiences with visual representations of foreign lands and customs. The engraving style reflects the influence of the period's academic standards, prioritising clean contours and structured shading. The inclusion of the title at the base of the print confirms its function as a documentary illustration, intended to inform the viewer about the conditions described in the accompanying text. The work remains a specimen of the era's approach to depicting international relations and historical narratives through the medium of copperplate engraving.