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Secondary sourcePainting1700-1799

The Sultan Stabs Zara

1700-1799

An etching showing the violent final scene of Voltaire's tragedy Zaïre, set against an Ottoman backdrop.

This etching illustrates the finale of Voltaire's play Zaïre, reflecting how his drama was staged and received.

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Black and white engraving in an ornate decorative frame with floral garland at top. Night scene with crescent moon, minarets and domed buildings. Several figures in period dress on a courtyard: a woman in a long gown reaches out toward a turbaned man in a fur-trimmed robe, while other men stand to the right. Caption below reads 'ZARA, Act V. Scene the last.'
Etching illustrating the finale of Voltaire's Zaïre, 18th century. Wellcome Collection, London.

About this source

What it is

This etching illustrates the final act of Voltaire's play Zaïre, showing the Sultan stabbing Zara in a courtyard scene with minarets, domes, and the Bosphorus in the background. It dates from the 1700s and is held by the Wellcome Collection in London.

Why it matters

Zaïre was one of Voltaire's most successful tragedies, set in the Ottoman world and exploring themes of love, religion, and jealousy. This print, made after Voltaire's lifetime work, shows how his plays were visualized and remembered by later illustrators, reflecting European fascination with the Ottoman Empire as a dramatic setting.

Look closer

  • What details in the setting (buildings, moon, dress) tell you this is meant to look Ottoman?
  • Why do you think illustrators chose to depict this dramatic, violent moment from the play?
  • What might this image leave out about the full story or characters of Zaïre?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Voltaire on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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