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A Eunuch of the middle rank

Anonymous Greek artist

1809

watercolor

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Romanticism Early 19th Century Portrait

Dominant colour

A Eunuch of the middle rank is a 1809 watercolor by Anonymous Greek artist, a Romanticism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Anonymous Greek artist
When & what style?: 1809 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This is a portrait in watercolour from about 1809. It shows a man of middle rank in Ottoman society. The artist worked in Turkey for a British diplomat. The diplomat arranged for local artists to sketch what he saw. Their work mixed Ottoman style with European techniques. This piece is part of a larger set. Next, look up the Victoria and Albert Museum.

The story of this work

Overview

An elderly beardless man is depicted wearing a plain green robe and a tall white turban. The work is part of a series of views and studies commissioned by Stratford Canning during his diplomatic mission to Istanbul in 1808. The artist, whose identity remains unknown, is believed to have been associated with the circle of Konstantin Kapidagli. The series was acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1895 from Charlotte Canning.

Read the full account in the museum source.