Jean Baptiste Vanmour

Jean Baptiste Vanmour (1671-1737) was a Flemish painter who traveled to Istanbul in 1699 with French Ambassador Charles de Ferriol and settled there until his death in 1737. During his prolific career, he portrayed different aspects of life in Istanbul ranging from court official events to scenes of everyday city life. His clientele was mostly composed of diplomats and travelers who, upon their return to Europe, brought Vanmour’s works with them, thus providing the Western world with a glimpse of life in the imperial capital. Furthermore, his paintings became an important source for European artists in the eighteenth century when Ottoman-inspired themes became very popular. This painting portrays an everyday life scene that captures Istanbul’s rich history by representing the site of the old Hippodrome, showing the Obelisk of Theodosius, and the Blue Mosque. The scene encompasses both, the more ceremonial and grand lifestyle of the court, in the depiction of the grand vizier escorted by soldiers, as well as the life of common people engaged in mundane activities.