Constantinople

Henri Duvieux

France, 1855-1902

Oil on board

6 x 8.5 in.

Mori and Jacobson Collection

The Turkish city of Constantinople, now known as Istanbul (its name was changed in 1930), is among the largest and most historically significant in the world. It strides the continents of both Asia and Europe. In this painting, the artist depicts the European side as the golden rays of the sun strike the city at dawn or possibly dusk; fishing boats are anchored in the foreground. The dazzling white building in the left skyline is a fanciful montage of some of Istanbul’s grandest, holiest architecture. It appears at first to be the 6th century Hagia Sophia (the church of Holy Wisdom), built during the Byzantine Empire as a Christian church, but transformed into an Islamic Mosque in the 15th century. This magical-looking structure also resembles the Yeni Cami and the Blue Mosque, both built in the 17th century, and both sharing the features of a massive central dome along with vertical minarets.

The French painter, Henri Duvieux, specialized in romantic scenes of ancient, ornate cities, particularly Venice, Italy, as well as Constantinople. Much of his work aimed to capture the fantastical effect of such places (with less concern for accuracy), and he bathed his scenes in dramatic light effects.