Artwork

View of the Bosporus, taken from the Height of Beykoz to the northwest, with the Aqueduct of Justinian in the background

View of the Bosporus, taken from the Height of Beykoz to the northwest, with the Aqueduct of Justinian in the background is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Jan van der Steen. It dates from 1775 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The work depicts a maritime scene of the Bosporus Strait, specifically captured from the elevated vantage point of Beykoz looking northwest.

The work depicts a maritime scene of the Bosporus Strait, specifically captured from the elevated vantage point of Beykoz looking northwest. Central to the composition is the historic Aqueduct of Justinian, which serves as a prominent architectural landmark in the background. The painting includes a boat navigating the waters, emphasizing the genre's focus on marine life and navigation.

Created by Jan van der Steen in 1775, the piece functions as a topographical record of the Ottoman landscape, blending natural waterways with significant historical infrastructure.

Technique & Style

The work was executed on canvas using oil paint, a conventional support for marine subjects in 18th‑century Dutch practice. The brushwork emphasizes atmospheric perspective, with a muted palette that renders the Bosporus and the distant Aqueduct of Justinian in soft tonal gradations. Compositional balance places the aqueduct as a structural anchor while the foreground boats introduce rhythmic movement.

These formal qualities reflect the artist's focus on light and spatial depth characteristic of marine painting of the period.

History & Provenance

The work was painted by Jan van der Steen in 1775, as indicated by the artist’s signature date on the painting.

By the late nineteenth century it had entered the holdings of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, where it remains today. The museum’s accession file records the painting as part of its marine art collection, where it is catalogued under the title View of the Bosporus, taken from the Height of Beykoz to the northwest, with the Aqueduct of Justinian in the background.

Overview

Jan van der Steen’s 1775 oil on canvas presents a panoramic view of the Bosporus as seen from the heights of Beykoz, looking northwest. The composition centers on a tranquil stretch of water populated by several vessels, while a distant, arched aqueduct, identified as the Aqueduct of Justinian, rises against a gently rolling horizon. The work is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection.

Context

During the late 18th century, European artists increasingly turned to Ottoman subjects, drawn by the exotic appeal of the region’s architecture and geography. Van der Steen’s choice of the Bosporus and the Aqueduct of Justinian reflects this trend, situating the work within a broader fascination with cross‑cultural landscapes that blended topographical accuracy with romanticized tranquility.