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A kebab shop near the Yeni Cami

Anonymous Greek artist

1809

watercolor

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Romanticism Early 19th Century

Dominant colour

A kebab shop near the Yeni Cami 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 painting shows a scene from Istanbul. It was created as part of a series commissioned by Stratford Canning, who was interested in Ottoman institutions and customs. He hired a local artist to make these views and studies, which is notable because it shows a unique blend of styles. The painting is part of the collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

The story of this work

Overview

A large water and bodycolour view of a kebab shop near the Yeni Cami in Istanbul was made in 1809 by an anonymous Greek artist, possibly connected to the circle of Konstantin Kapidagli. The work combines dense Ottoman painting techniques with European perspective and was one of many commissioned by Stratford Canning during his diplomatic mission to the city in 1808. The series was later bound in a volume and acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1895 from Canning’s daughter Charlotte.

Read the full account in the museum source.