Turkish Ladies, Giovanni Jean Brindesi (1826 – 1888)

Giovanni Jean BRINDESI 1826 – 1888 Istanbul Techniques: Original watercolor on cardboard, reproduced in the book: BRINDESI, Jean. Souvenirs de Constantinople, Paris, [Imp.Lemercier, 1845]. Dimensions: 29 x 22 cm unframed - 41 x 34 cm framed The watercolor depicts a harem scene with three women. The maidservant is standing, dressed in brightly colored traditional clothing, and serves another woman who is seated smoking a long pipe. In the background a third woman is seated, near her a table where there is a Baglama (long 3-string guitar) also called the Saz. The setting resembles an intimate interior, with intricate details in the clothing and surroundings, suggesting an orientalist style often seen in 19th century European art. Giovanni Jean Brindesi (1826-1888) began his career as a watercolourist and lived in Istanbul during the reign of Abdul Mecit (1831-1861). His main work consisted of depicting scenes from the public, private and military life of the city. His studio was in the Pera district and his grave is in the Catholic cemetery in the Feriköy district. His paintings were lithographed by the Lemercier publishing house in Paris and published in two albums (1855-1860). The first album presents a series of costumes, mainly of Ottoman officials, and the second scenes from daily life in Istanbul. Brindesi's original drawings are kept at the Topkapı Palace Museum and at Istanbul University. In the 19th century, Orientalism, an artistic and literary movement marked by the cult of mystery and oriental exoticism, offered the Western European public a rich entertainment and leisure. Both prominent and lesser-known artists created graphic works, either from their imagination alone or as a result of a trip to the Orient, and often rendered exaggerated and idealized images of people and places. The present work "Souvenirs de Constantinople" which was published only once, includes picturesque snapshots of life in the Ottoman capital, its environs and in Bursa. The depictions of vehicles, such as carriages, are particularly interesting. Although he did not leave many works, Brindesi is one of the most remarkable figures of Orientalism. Brindesi's drawings were published in color lithographs, made by several other artists, such as Ch. Bour, Hadamard, J. Gaildrau, A. Charpentier, Gilbert, Bayot, Schultz and Sorrieu.