A Feast held by Nevşehirli Damad Ibrahim Pasha, School of Jean Baptiste Vanmour, 18th century

This painting is believed to depict the feast held by Grand-vizier Nevşehirli Damad Ibrahim Pasha in honour of the Venetian ambassador Francesco Gritti, in the Imperial Council hall (Kubbealti) of the Topkapi Palace. Francesco Gritti stayed in Constantinople as a Venetian bailo, or ambassador, from 1723-26. Such feasts traditionally took place before diplomats were presented to the sultan, in this case, Sultan Ahmed III (r.1703-30).

The present painting is closely related to a series of works by Jean-Baptise Vanmour (1671-1737), depicting four scenes of Francesco Gritti’s visit to the Ottoman court, all in the Pera Museum, Istanbul. Vanmour was a Flemish-French painter, renowned for his portrayal of Imperial audiences in the Ottoman court during the Tulip Era.

The present painting resembles closely one of the works in the Pera Museum (inv. no.AK7229514) which is thought to represent the same scene and protagonists. Depicted from the back, the ambassador’s headgear and gold-thread ceremonial costume are characteristic of the Venetian bailo's formal dress and are almost identical to our painting. An oil portrait of Francesco Gritti by Pietro Uberti, represented in the same costume, is published in the exhibition catalogue Venezia e Istanbul in Epoca Ottomana, Electa, 2009, p.232 (accessible online: https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/41121239.pdf). Another painting of Gritti, this time in procession, painted by Pietro Longhi, was sold in these rooms, 30 March 2022, lot 76.

In the present and Pera paintings, Gritti is depicted sitting opposite the Grand Vizier and flanked by two Dragomans, or interpreters, while other members of the delegation are engaged with Ottoman officials. In the foreground, servants oversee the food service. Another painting associated to Vanmour depicting a feast for the French Ambassador was offered by Sotheby’s London, 7 December 2005, lot 60; another with the Vicomte d’Andrezel is in the Musée des Beaux-Arts, Bordeaux, and one showing a feast in Dutch ambassador Cornelis Calkoen’s hounour is in the Rijks Museum in Amsterdam (inv. no.SK A 4077).