1800 Watercolor View of Istanbul

A romantic, unrecorded c. 1800 watercolor view of Istanbul from the Asian side of the Bosphorus, looking at grand city's main landmarks from across the water.

A Closer Look

Oriented towards the west, this view looks out over the Bosphorus at the European side of Istanbul. The Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and Topkapi Palace are displayed prominently towards right. Around and in front of them are smaller buildings and fortifications. Human figures and buildings appear in the foreground, with a variety of ships occupying the intervening waters of the Bosphorus. Mountains and coastal forests can be seen in the background at left, leading out to the Mediterranean.

Publication History and Census

This view is unsigned and no publication information is provided. It is reminiscent of the late 18th century paintings of Istanbul by Louis-François Cassas (1756 - 1827) and the later, mid-19th century paintings of the same by Félix Ziem (1821 - 1911). However, it is not known by us to be present in existing collections of either artists' works. The minarets in the foreground may belong to the Selimiye Mosque, constructed at the start of the 19th century; if so, the view must date from c. 1805 or later.