Artwork
Panorama de Constantinople
Panorama de Constantinople is a drawing by the Impressionist artist Alexius Geyer. It dates from 1852 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Panorama de Constantinople is a detailed 1852 drawing by Geyer, capturing a panoramic view of Constantinople from a vantage point at one of Hagia Sophia’s minarets.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing focuses on the cityscape of Constantinople, highlighting a central domed building with tall spires, surrounded by narrow, winding streets lined with small, flat-roofed houses, fading into a distant, hazy skyline dotted with additional domes and minarets.
Technique & Style
Geyer employed fine lines to create shadows and textures, resulting in a detailed yet soft appearance, characteristic of contemporary sketches aimed at documenting real locations.
History & Provenance
Commissioned for Gaspard Fossati’s publication on Hagia Sophia’s restoration, Geyer’s exterior views complemented Fossati’s interior documentation. The drawing was published as plate 21 in Fossati’s 1852 volume by P. & D. Colnaghi.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Alexius Geyer spent the 1850s wandering Constantinople’s hills with a folding stool and a camera lucida, sketching the city before photographers crowded the view.
