Two Cabinet Photographs – A Veiled Woman in Traditional Dress / a Photograph of a Young Boy and a Woman. Photographer: Abdullah Frères. Constantinople, 19th century.
The “Abdullah Frères” were a group of three Ottoman Armenian brothers Viçen Abdullahian (1820–1902) Hovsep Abdullahian (1830–1908), Kevork Abdullahyan (1839–1918) – who were official photographers to Sultans Abdulaziz and Abdulhamid II. Internationally renowned photographers during the late Ottoman Empire called “Abdullah Frères”. The three photographed landscapes and prominent figures in the Ottoman Empire, including sultans. In 1863, Sultan Abdulaziz declared the Abdullah Frères as “the court photographers and distinguished artists of the city”, a title they used officially until closing their shop in 1899. During their long career they photographed many Ottoman Sultans, statesmen like Ibrahim Edhem Pasha and Osman Nuri Pasha, international figures like Mark Twain, landscapes, and more.
A Veiled Woman: 17×11 cm. A Young Boy and a Woman: 11×6 cm. Light stains. Good condition.
