Ippolito Caffi

UK Private Collection (acquired in the 1940s, thence by descent; sale: Sotheby's, London, 16 November 2005, lot 214)
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

The canvas has been relined. There are some localised fine lines of craquelure, notably in the sky above the horizon and in the water below the centre of the composition (just visible in the catalogue illustration). Ultraviolet light reveals some scattered retouchings, notably two small areas (circa 2 by 5.5cm and 2 by 2cm) in the upper left of the sky, some clusters of tiny retouchings addressing craquelure in the sky above the horizon, and some intermittent strokes addressing frame rubbing along the extreme lower and right edges. Overall painting is in good condition and is ready to hang. Held in a decorative gilt frame, with berry and foliate motifs. The colours are slightly richer and less yellow in reality than in the catalogue illustration.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This panoramic view is from the Eyüp Heights south along the Golden Horn, with the Tower of Galata and the domes and minarets of the Haghia Sophia and Blue Mosque visible in the distance.  In the foreground, by the water's edge, stands the Eyüp Sultan Mosque. Built in 1458, it was the first mosque constructed by the Ottoman Turks following their conquest of Constantinople in 1453. Often described as the world's greatest natural harbour, the Golden Horn, on the European side of the city, flows into the Bosphorus at Seraglio Point. According to legend, the Byzantines threw so many valuables into it during the Ottoman conquest that the waters glistened with gold, and Caffi's view is - aptly - bathed in a golden morning light. 

Caffi attended the Accademia di Belle Arti in Venice, studying under Teodoro Matteini, Francesco Bagnara, and Tranquillo Orsi before establishing his reputation as one of Italy's leading ottocento vedutisti, the heir to Canaletto. His views are distinguished by his virtuoso command of spatial construction (in 1835 he published a textbook on perspective, Lezioni di prospettiva pratica, with Antonio Bianchini) and by his striking observation of the fleeting effects of light and atmosphere as in the present work. While painting mainly in Rome and Venice, in 1843-4 Caffi travelled to Constantinople, recording his experiences in numerous sketches which he worked up into rare views like the present one.