The Central part of Büyükdere, on the Bosphorus.

MELLING, Antoine Ignace "Desiné par Melling. Gravé à l'eau-forte par Dessaulx. Terminé par Néein 1809" View of the Central part of Büyükdere on the European shore of the Bosphorus. "Vue de la Partie Centrale de Buyuk- dÈrÈ Sur la Rive Europiéne du Bosphore." Paris, Strassburg & London Treuttel et Würtz 1819
Large copper engraving of the central part of "Büyükdere", on the shores of the Bosphorus, from Antoine Ignace Melling's " Voyage Pittoresque de Constantinople et des Rives du Bosphore."Plate 41; black and white.
The plate shows the shores of the Bosphorus on the European side at Büyükdere, with large boat in the foreground upon which 2 men are dancing in the stern, to music played by a group of musicians in the bow. Dark impression; large margins; from an unfolded copy; minor chips, and tears to edges of page, 1 longer tear to left margin (60mm) repaired to verso; upper edge of blank margin with some foxing.

MELLING, Antoine Ignace (1763-1831).

Melling, who was trained in both architecture and painting, went to the city at the age of nineteen as a member of the Russian ambassador's retinue, and remained there for eighteen years. He became architect to Hatice Sultan, Selim III's sister, and the favour of the sultan himself eventually allowed him to study the interior of the Harem and other palaces. He returned to Paris in 1803, but despite producing a prospectus for his work soon afterwards, only began publication in 1809, finally completing it in 1819. The plates include some of the earliest interior views of the harem and the sultan's palaces, besides stunning delineations of the city's skylines, often with members of Ottoman society in the foreground.
Atabey: 798-799; Blackmer /Navari:1105; Brunet: III, 1591; Lipperheide:LB 41. 484 by 735mm (19 by 29 inches).   ref: 2389  €2250