In 1551, Nicolas de Nicolay (1517–1583) traveled to the Ottoman Empire on behalf of the French King Henry II to study local customs and traditions. His report, first published in 1567, included 61 illustrations of Ottoman costumes. The book was translated into four languages and printed in large editions. The cabinet exhibition "Reise.Bilder" places this "bestseller" in dialogue with selected books and Ottoman textiles from the Early Modern period.

Using figures from the historical travel report, we designed and implemented an immersive animation. This installation sets the "bestseller" in an engaging dialogue with selected books and Ottoman textiles from the Early Modern period. By doing so, it vividly illustrates the significant role of this travel account in shaping European perceptions of people in the Ottoman Empire.