Rijksmuseum

Damesfeest in Hünkâr İskelesi aan de Bosporus

Date

c. 1720 - c. 1737

Medium

canvas, oil paint (paint)

Institution

Rijksmuseum

In summer, wealthy inhabitants of Istanbul fled the hot and humid city in search of cooler weather along the banks of the Bosporus. These outings were virtually the only diversion that women could enjoy outside their homes. The women of the sultan’s harem sometimes went on picnics. Vanmour probably painted one such occasion here. A black eunuch stands guard to keep out uninvited guests (men).

The authoritative record is held by Rijksmuseum. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.