In “Constantinople’s Harbour from Koum Kapou”, dated 1865, Count Amedeo Preziosi depicts a lively view of the harbour of Constantinople seen from the district of Kumkapı. The watercolour develops along a horizontal format that brings the foreground, animated by boats and figures, into dialogue with the background dominated by the urban skyline punctuated by domes and minarets. Furthermore, the sailing boats, rendered with precise linear definition, establish the visual rhythm of the composition.
The artist was born in Malta in 1816 and settled for a long period in the Ottoman Empire; during those years, he was among the leading interpreters of 19th-century Orientalism. However, unlike other European artists, he had direct knowledge of local life, carefully documenting scenes of everyday life and urban views. In this work, in fact, the focus is not on an exotic episode, but on the precise depiction of the harbour activity taking place there.
The watercolour technique allows for a luminous and transparent rendering of the water, while the blue-green reflections and pinkish washes of the sky suggest a morning or evening atmosphere. As a result, the composition achieves a balance between topographical observation and chromatic sensitivity. At the same time, the figures in the foreground introduce a narrative dimension that makes the scene lively and tangible. “Constantinople’s Harbour from Koum Kapou”demonstrates Count Amedeo Preziosi’s ability to combine documentary rigour and painterly refinement, offering a visual record of 19th-century Istanbul at the height of its commercial vitality.
Description: Watercolour on paper, signed and dated lower left Preziosi 1865, H 38.5×57.5 cm.
Hammer Price: € 31.980,00
Auction 4 – February 6th 2015 – Furniture | Paintings | Sculptures | Works of Art
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