A Pioneer of Turkish Visual Culture: The Life and Legacy of Abraham Liedts Abraham Liedts (born in Amsterdam, Netherlands, 1604 – died Amsterdam, 1668) occupies a unique position in the annals of Dutch painting. While his name may not resonate with the immediate fame of Rembrandt or Vermeer, Liedts’ contribution to art history is profoundly significant—he was the first Danish artist for whom a substantial biography can be reconstructed and whose work survives in considerable quantity. More importantly, he created an unparalleled visual record of 17th-century Turkish life and customs, offerin…