Name of Object:

The daughter of the English ambassador riding in a palanquin

Location:

Istanbul, Turkey

Holding Institution:

Pera Museum

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Date of Object:

Late 19th century

Author:

Fausto Zonaro (1854-1929)

Material(s) / Technique(s):

Oil on canvas

Dimensions:

W: 770 + H: 490 cm

Description:

Until he was appointed as the court painter in 1896, Zonaro was predominantly commissioned by European embassies in Istanbul. In his memoirs, the artist reveals that British Ambassador Sir Philip William Currie (1894-96), who was one of Zonaro’s clients, commissioned a painting depicting his stepdaughter on the palanquin on her way to the church to marry a diplomat. Sir Currie also requested the view of the Golden Horn – as seen from the garden of the embassy – to be included in the background of the painting. The palanquin carriers, two embassy officials smartly dressed in their uniforms and the young woman sitting on the palanquin in her bridal veil, posed for the artist for several days.

Archival or Bibliographical Reference:

Orientalist Paintings Collection-Suna and İnan Kıraç Foundation Collection

Citation of this web page:

"The daughter of the English ambassador riding in a palanquin" in "Sharing History", Museum With No Frontiers, 2024. https://sharinghistory.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;AWE;tr;40;en

Copyedited by: Daniel de la VegaDaniel de la Vega

Daniel de la Vega is a copy editor based in Portland, Oregon. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in linguistics from the University of California at Santa Cruz in 2014 and has since done editing and localization work on everything from college applications to magazines to video game dialogue.

MWNF Working Number: TR2 036