Five albumen photographs – portraits of Europeans and Orientals photographed by leading photographers of the Ottoman Empire, Abdullah Frères and Pierre Sébah. Late 19th century.
Photographs:
Two portraits of European women, stamped ABDULLAH FRÈRES, Constantinople
Portrait of an Ottoman man in uniform with decorations – P. SEBAH
Portrait of a Turkish girl in traditional indoor attire – P. SEBAH
Portrait of a woman – P. SEBAH
The photographer P. Sebah is considered one of the leading and most important photographers of the Ottoman Empire in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Born around 1855, his activity was mainly during the last decade of the 19th century. P. Sebah was a photographer of French origin, but he grew up and worked in Istanbul (Constantinople) under the rule of the Ottoman Empire. He became known for his photographs of daily life, architecture, religious and cultural monuments, and figures throughout the Ottoman Empire. His works include photographs of the city of Istanbul, the ruins of the empire, and members of various religions and cultures, such as Muslims, Jews, Christians, and other cultures of the empire. Sebah not only documented life under Ottoman rule, but also contributed to Europe’s perception of the East as a place full of mystery and enchantment. The scenes and cultures presented by P. Sebah, particularly the Orientalist photographs, greatly influenced the Western image of the East.
The three Ottoman photographer brothers of Armenian origin, Viçen Abdullahian (1820–1902), Hovsep Abdullahian (1830–1908), and Kevork Abdullahyan (1839–1918) , were the official court photographers of Sultans Abdülaziz and Abdülhamid II. Internationally renowned photographers during the late Ottoman Empire, they were known as “ABDULLAH FRERES.” The three photographed landscapes and prominent individuals of the Ottoman Empire, including sultans. In 1863, Sultan Abdülaziz declared Abdullah Frères as “Court Photographers and Distinguished Artists of the City, ” a title they officially used until the studio closed in 1899. Throughout their long careers, they photographed numerous Ottoman sultans, Ottoman statesmen such as İbrahim Edhem Pasha and Osman Nuri Pasha, international figures such as Mark Twain, landscapes, and more.
Five photographs of identical size: 11×6 cm. Very good condition.
