J. PAVLIKEVITCH

(Russian, 20th Century) 81 Sunset on the Golden Horn, Istanbul

signed ‘JPavlikevitch’ (lower right) pencil and watercolour on paper 17.8 x 21.9 cm (7 x 8⅝ in)

‘The cypresses of Scutari In stern magnificence look down On the bright lake and stream of sea, And glittering theatre of the town; Above the throng of rich kiosks, Above the towers in triple tire, Above the domes of loftiest mosques, These pinnacles of death aspire.’ -The Poetical Works of Lord Houghton, 1876.

rom the district of Scutari, several figures City’, perhaps derived from the fact that Scutari was a wealthy port, though look out across the calm, rippling waters of the Bosphorus to the according to legend, the name relates to the fact that the city once housed silhouetted city of Istanbul, whilst their dogs scavenge for scraps. a Persian gold depository. Scutari was also the location of the old Barrack The city’s minarets and domes punctuate the skyline, whilst onthe Hospital, where Florence Nightingale was based during the Crimean War far right, the intense warm glow of the setting sun casts its last rays (1854-1856) assisting wounded British soldiers; it was reputed that the wards fof the evening. A small mosque with two minarets takes prominence on the at Scutari stretched for over four miles. near shore; its intricate features tell of the delights of Istanbul’s architecture. in an 1829 publication, The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and In the distance, numerous craft traverse the busy waters. The warm palette Instruction, it was noted of the cemetery that, ‘the graves are shallow, and thin employed by the artist accentuates the lyrical and romantic nature of this boards only, laid over the corpse, protect it from the immediate pressure of the work, concealing Scutari’s more sombre character. earth, which is set with flowers, according to the custom of the Pythagoreans, lying on the east shore of the Bosphorus, on the opposite bank to Galata, and a cypress tree is planted near every new grave.’¹ Among the cypress trees, Scutari, now known as Üsküdar, was the site of the largest and most beautiful birds called pelkovans flew, their melancholy cry giving rise to the superstition of Istanbul’s cemeteries. The district’s Greek name, Chrysopolis, ‘The Golden that they were in fact lost souls.

¹ The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction, Vol. XIV, no. 387, August 29, 1829.

82 On the Bosphorus

signed and inscribed 'Istanbul/Pavlikevitch' (lower left) watercolour over pencil on paper 16 x 22.5 cm (6¼ x 8⅞ in)

n the Bosphorus shows the Istanbul Strait of the Topkapı Palace complex. This palace was the primary residence of the crowded with maritime movement. The scene, viewed from the Ottoman Sultans from 1465 to 1853 and the tower is the tallest structure Anatolian banks of the waterway, evokes the magnificence of in the palace. Built to symbolise the justice and vigilance of the Sultan, the the Istanbul skyline. The two iconic mosques of the city, the tower was intended to be widely seen across Constantinople in order to Sultan Ahmed Mosque, or Blue Mosque (on the far left) and provide reassurance as to the Sultan’s presence. OHagia Sophia (on the far right), are clearly visible, and the nearby river banks The Bosphorus, which connects theM editerranean with the Black Sea, is are dotted with small single-sail boats. In the middle of the water a grand only 30km long and 700m wide and is the world’s narrowest strait used for three-master sits at anchor surrounded by other shipping. In the foreground, international navigation. Historically, as well as today, the straits are one of a small row boat approaches the larger vessel. the busiest and most critical waterways in the world, providing a vital artery Next to the Blue Mosque, one can see the Tower of Justice which is part for international trade between Europe and Asia.

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