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A Rufai dervish swallowing a red-hot skewer

Anonymous Greek artist

1809

watercolor

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Orientalism Romanticism Early 19th Century

Dominant colour

A Rufai dervish swallowing a red-hot skewer is a 1809 watercolor by Anonymous Greek artist, a Orientalism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

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

The story of this work

Overview

A man in a green robe and turban holds a red-hot skewer in his mouth, illustrating a ritual act performed by Rufai dervishes in Istanbul. The anonymous Greek artist employed dense watercolor and bodycolor techniques influenced by Ottoman traditions, combined with European perspective and representation. The work was part of a series commissioned by Stratford Canning during his diplomatic mission to Istanbul in 1808–1809. The drawings were later bound in a volume and acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1895 from Canning’s daughter.

Read the full account in the museum source.