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Portrait of Sultan Mahmud II of Turkey

Anonymous Greek artist

1809

watercolor

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Orientalism Romanticism Early 19th Century Portrait

Dominant colour

Portrait of Sultan Mahmud II of Turkey 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

About this work

This is a portrait of Sultan Mahmud II of Turkey. It was made by an Anonymous Greek artist. The portrait is part of a series commissioned by Stratford Canning, a diplomat who was curious about Ottoman institutions and customs. He hired a local artist to create this series of views and studies. To learn more about the style of this portrait, look into the movement: Romanticism.

The story of this work

Overview

This anonymous Greek artist’s portrait of Sultan Mahmud II of Turkey, created in 1809, depicts the ruler who implemented the Tanzimat reforms after consolidating power by suppressing the Janissaries in 1826. Commissioned by Stratford Canning during his diplomatic mission to Istanbul, the work is part of a larger series documenting Ottoman institutions, buildings, and customs, blending Ottoman watercolor techniques with European perspective. The artist’s identity remains uncertain, though Turkish scholars suggest ties to Konstantin Kapidagli’s circle, and his style reflects influences observed…

Read the full account in the museum source.