MELLING, Antoine Ignace (1763-1831)

[Vue de la partie occidentale du village de Buyuk-Déré sur la rive européenne du Bosphore]

[Paris: 1819]. Hand-coloured engraving by Pillement fils, finished by Duparc. Proof before title. Sheet: 20 1/4 x 29 1/4 inches.

A fine view of the village of Buyuk-Dèrè, outside of Constantinople, from Melling's grand work 'Voyage Pittoresque de Constantinople et des rives du Bosphore'.

This view across the bay of Büyükdere shows the handsome quai, fine wooden Ottoman architecture and the promenade in this famous cosmopolitan suburb of Istanbul. It comes from Voyage pittoresque de Constantinople et des rives du Bosphore, Born in Lorraine in 1763, Antoine Ignace Melling, artist and voyager, was trained in architecture and painting. At the age of 19, he went to Constantinople as part of the Russian Ambassador's retinue. After successfully completing several commissions for Hatice Sultan, the sister of Selim III, which included the renovation of her palace at Ortakeï, Melling was employed as the Sultan's architect in 1795. His position as royal architect gave him a privileged opportunity to observe the Ottoman court, and during his eighteen years there, he made many detailed drawings of the sultan's palaces, Ottoman society, and Constantinople and its environs. Within a year of returning to Paris in 1803, Melling published a prospectus for the Voyage pittoresque, the first thirteen livraisons of which were published in 1809. He completed the engravings for this work in 1819.

Atabey 798-799; Blackmer 1105; Brunet III, 1591; Lipperheide LB 41; Koç, Constantinople I 214; Weber 77.

Item #34487

Price: $2,500.00