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Rikaphasekisi, or stirrup-holder to the Sultan

Anonymous Greek artist

1809

watercolor

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Romanesque Romanticism Early 19th Century Portrait

Dominant colour

Rikaphasekisi, or stirrup-holder to the Sultan is a 1809 watercolor by Anonymous Greek artist, a Romanesque work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

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

The story of this work

Overview

An anonymous Greek artist, possibly associated with Konstantin Kapidagli’s circle, created this work in 1809 as part of a series commissioned by Stratford Canning during his diplomatic mission in Istanbul. The image depicts an official holding a staff, dressed in a red robe and a tall red turban with a distinctive sideways fold. Originally bound in a volume, the series was acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1895 from Charlotte Canning. The artist’s style blends Ottoman water and bodycolour techniques with European perspective and representation.

Read the full account in the museum source.