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Polish Ambassador Stanislas Tarnowski’s Visit to the Topkapi Palace.
Watercolour.
Dated ‘13 August 1707’, Painter travelling with Polish Ambassador Stanislas Tarnowski, Inscription: Written by Joseph d’Alexandre Polish Ambassador Stanislas Tarnowski’s interpreter, identifying the figures.
Dimensions: 42 x 36.5 cm.
Following the dethronement of King August II in 1704, Stanisław Leszczyński, also known as King Stanislaus I, was elected as the new king of Poland. With Russian support, King August was interfering with the affairs of state. To get the support of the Ottomans, who had established peace in the North for a long time, King Stanislaus I sent his ambassador Stanislaw Tarnowski to Istanbul.
This painting documents Stanislaw Tarnowski’s visit to Istanbul. It shows Ambassador Tarnowski in the chamber of Reis Effendi (Reisülküttab tr.) in the Topkapı Palace together with Ottoman minister of foreign affairs Acem Bekir Efendi.
The following lines, at the bottom, written by Joseph d’Alexandre, the Polish interpreter, on 13 August 1707, identify the individuals as:
La chambre de Reis Efendi 1- Reis Efendi, Grand Chancelier, ministre des affaires etrangeres 2- Premier interprete d’in ministre etranger presantant un memoir 3-Hagioghian du premier rand au chef d’un bureau 4- …… de la milice lieutenant du janissaire A 5- Un officier ….. de la porte …. Ces 3 personnages sont en visite 6- un page tenant une scoupe contenant de la …messe avec une cauvelier couvert d’un etoffe brodee 7- un page tenant le sherbet ou boisso 8- un laquais ou un silahandar tenant les mains croisees pres de la porte de la chambre. Presente a Monsieur le comte Stanislas Tarnowski pendant son sejour a Constantinople le 13 Aout 1707 par son tres humble serviteur Joseph d’Alexandre intreprete de Pologne.
1. Reis Effendi: Acem Bekir Efendi, the Minister of Foreign Affairs,
2. Primary Interpreter of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief of staff,
3. The head of the office Hagiogian,
4. Lieutenant Janissary,
5. An Officer of the Sublime Port,
6. A Page from the palace,
7. A Page serving sherbet,
8. A Silahandar (Sultan’s sword-bearer).
Stanislaw Tarnowski returned to Poland with the good news that promised the Ottoman support (Ziya Aksun, Ottoman History, Vol: II, Ötüken, 1994, pp. 307-308.).
This a rare, historic document depicting the visit of the Polish Ambassador Stanislas Tarnowski to the Ottoman minister of foreign affairs, Acem Bekir Efendi, in the Topkapi Palace, in 13 August 1707. It was painted in situ, by the Ambassador’s painter, and records this important diplomatic event in meticulous detail.
Published:
“Ottoman Pipes for Peace?”, Cornucopia, Issue 58, 2018, p. 5.
The BADA Standard
- Since 1918, BADA has been the leading association for the antiques and fine art trade
- Members are elected for their knowledge, integrity and quality of stock
- Our clients are protected by BADA’s code of conduct
- Our dealers’ membership is reviewed and renewed annually
- Bada.org is a non-profit site: clients deal directly with members and they pay no hidden fees
