Artwork
Ladies’ Outing at Hünkâr İskelesi along the Bosporus
Ladies’ Outing at Hünkâr İskelesi along the Bosporus is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Jean Baptiste Vanmour. It dates from 1728 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Technique & Style
Its stylistic qualities combine topographical observation of the Bosphorus shoreline with the figural groupings characteristic of Ottoman-era outing scenes.
Ladies' Outing at Hünkâr İskelesi along the Bosporus is an oil painting executed on canvas, a medium and support consistent with Jean Baptiste Vanmour's documented practice. The work measures 78 by 101 cm and dates to 1728. As a cabinet-style oil on canvas, it is handled in the manner typical of Vanmour's Bosphorus scenes, depicting trees, boats, and figures along the water. No specific condition notes are recorded in the available sources.
The painting belongs to the corpus of Vanmour's oil-on-canvas compositions held by the Rijksmuseum, which acquired works through successive custodians including the Directie van de Levantse handel en de Navigatie op de Middellandse Zee and the Koninklijk Kabinet van Zeldzaamheden. Its stylistic qualities combine topographical observation of the Bosphorus shoreline with the figural groupings characteristic of Ottoman-era outing scenes.
History & Provenance
Jean Baptiste Vanmour executed this oil painting on canvas in 1728. The work was originally owned by Cornelis Calkoen and subsequently passed to Nicolaas Calkoen. Over time, the painting entered several institutional collections, including the Directie van de Levantse handel en de Navigatie op de Middellandse Zee, the Koninklijk Kabinet van Zeldzaamheden, and the Nederlandsch Museum voor Geschiedenis en Kunst. It is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
Ladies’ Outing at Hünkâr İskelesi along the Bosporus, an oil-on-canvas work by Jean Baptiste Vanmour dating to 1728, is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
The painting has passed through several institutional collections over time, including the Directie van de Levantse handel en de Navigatie op de Middellandse Zee, the Koninklijk Kabinet van Zeldzaamheden, and the Nederlandsch Museum voor Geschiedenis en Kunst, before reaching its present location at the Rijksmuseum. It was formerly owned by Cornelis Calkoen and Nicolaas Calkoen.
No specific inventory or accession number is recorded in the available sources, and no exhibition history is documented.
Context
Painted in 1728 by Jean Baptiste Vanmour, Ladies’ Outing at Hünkâr İskelesi along the Bosporus captures leisurely activity on the Bosporus strait. The work depicts a tree and a boat, reflecting Ottoman maritime scenery and the social customs of the period. It is housed in the Rijksmuseum collection, which holds the painting as part of its Dutch Levant trade and navigation archives.
Scholarship situates the canvas within Vanmour’s broader oeuvre of Orientalist scenes, highlighting his role in documenting 18th-century cross-cultural encounters along the waterfront.
Overview
Created in 1728 by Jean Baptiste Vanmour, this oil painting captures a leisurely gathering on the Bosporus near the Hünkâr İskelesi. A group of elegantly dressed figures occupies the riverbank and small boats, while a solitary tree and distant vessels frame the tranquil water under a bright sky. The work belongs to the Rijksmuseum’s collection.
Subject & Meaning
The scene portrays a social outing among Ottoman elites during the early 18th‑century Tulip Era, a period noted for its fascination with leisure and refined aesthetics. The presence of formal attire and the relaxed posture of participants suggest a festive occasion, offering insight into the customs of the courtly class along the strait.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jean Baptiste Vanmour or Van Mour (9 January 1671 – 22 January 1737) was a Flemish-French painter, remembered for his detailed portrayal of life in the Ottoman Empire during the Tulip Era and the rule of Sultan Ahmed III.
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