Open full image Pin

St. Sophia - near Djulfa - Ispahan

Godfrey Thomas Vigne

1833

watercolor

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Orientalism Romanticism Early 19th Century

Dominant colour

St. Sophia - near Djulfa - Ispahan is a 1833 watercolor by Godfrey Thomas Vigne, a Orientalism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Godfrey Thomas Vigne
When & what style?: 1833 · Orientalism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This sketch shows a rocky hillside with a small village tucked into the slope. A tall tower and a few buildings cling to the side of the mountain, while a winding path leads up toward them. The scene looks dry and rugged, with sparse trees and uneven terrain. The artist used loose, sketchy lines to capture the landscape quickly—like a quick note of what they saw. The light falls unevenly, making some parts darker and others brighter. Next, check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more works like this.

The story of this work

Overview

The watercolour depicts the Safavid-era buildings at a spring on Mount Sufeh, south of Julfa, likely conflating the site with New Julfa near Isfahan, where the Armenian community was relocated in 1606. The work reflects Godfrey Thomas Vigne’s observations from his 1830s travels, later published in his 1842 travel account. Acquired in 1971 from the artist’s great-nephew, it forms part of a larger group of works by Vigne held in the collection.

Read the full account in the museum source.