Antoine Ignace Melling (1763-1831) was a French painter and architect, son of a sculptor. He studied architecture and mathematics and travelled to Italy and Egypt. In 1784, Melling moved to Istanbul as attaché to the Russian Embassy and lived in that city for eighteen years. He was architect to Sultan Selim III and his sister Hatice, with whom he maintained a close relationship. Melling designed the gardens and the interior of Hatice Sultan's palace in Ortaköy, and the interior of the newly built palace in Defterdar Burnu, in neoclassical style, as well as jewellery and clothes.

Melling's long-term stay in the Ottoman capital allowed him to experience the life of the Cort, and to draw views of Bosporus and its surroundings, as well as scenes from Ottoman society, in an impressive style. He returned to Paris in 1803, published his marvellour work and was appointed lanscape painter to emperess Josephine, Napoleon's wife. In 1812 Melling travelled to Holland; during his journey he produced a multitude of drawings and wrote many letters to his family. He later travelled to France, Britain and the Pyrenees.

In order to prepare the publication of his drawings, Melling set up an engraving studio, with the assistance of the best engravers of the time. The excellent quality of this edition, in select paper, realized by the best typographers of the time was achieved thanks to Melling's diligence, an impeccable engraving and the originality of the drawings. In order to write the accompanying texts Melling worked and consulted with Lechevalier, P. Deval, Pouquevile, Lacretelle, Choiseul-Gouffier, Barbie de Bocage and others. The locations from which the landscapes were drawn are shown on the map. Later on, coloured versions of the engravings were also published. The Ottoman capital, its natural landscape as well as monuments and everyday way unfolded before the eyes of Europeans in an unparallelled way. As has been recently said, Melling saw Istanbul as an Ottoman citizen but was able to paint it as an insightful Western European.

Written by Ioli Vingopoulou

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  The Bosporus and the entrance to the Black Sea.

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  View of Istanbul from Bulgurlu hill at Üsküdar. In the foreground two west European men, one of whom is most probably the author himself, are chatting with Ottoman men.

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  The prairie of Büyükdere, on the European shores of the Bosporus.

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  The Yedikule fortress. In the background Hagia Sophia and the Mosque of Sultan Ahmet I.

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  View of the Second Courtyard of the Topkapi Palace, also known as the outer courtyard. On the left the Imperial Harem and Divan. On the right the Imperial Kitchens. In the background the Gate of Felicity, leading to the Third Courtyard of the Palace.

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  View of the interior of the Imperial Harem at Topkapi Place in Istanbul.

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  View of the Golden Horn from Eyüp.

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  The interior of a café at Tophane square.

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  Aqueduct at Belgrad Forest, on the European shores of Bosporus. A. I. Melling is most probably depicting here one of the three aqueducts found at Belgrad Forset (the Kırkçeşme aqueduct, the Uzunkemer aqueduct or the Aqueduct of Mağlova).

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  Map showing the places from which A. I. Melling made the drawings accompanying his work.

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  View of the Princes' islands from Kartal, in the Asian part of Istanbul and next to Kadıköy. In the foreground Ottoman men enjoying their supper.

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  The aqueduct of Justinian I at Belgrad Forest in Istanbul.

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  View of the western part of Büyükdere, on the European shores of the Bosporus.

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  The palace of Hatice Sultan (sister of the Sultan Selim III) at Defterdarburnu, on the western shores of Bosporus. Hatice Sultan entrusted A. I. Melling with designing the palace.

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  View of Tophane.

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  Portrait of Sultan Selim III.

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  Title page.

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  Tuğra, official seal of Sultan Selim III.

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  Title page of the volume with A. I. Melling's engravings.

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  View of Tenedos (Bozcaada).

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  View of Dardanelles.

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  View of Kadıköy. In the background Maiden's Tower and part of the Seraglio Point.

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  View of Istanbul from Maiden's Tower. In the foreground imperial boats are departing from Topkapi Palace. In the first view, the Ottoman Sultan; in the second, some Ottoman princes.

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  View of the first Courtyard, known also as Court of the Janissaries or Parade Court. On the right Hagia Irene and the Imperial Mint. In the background the Gate of Salutation, leading to the Second Courtyard of the palace.

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  View of the quarters of Hatice Sultan (sister of the Sultan Selim III) in the Imperial Harem at Topkapi Palace in Istanbul.

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  The march of the Sultan from Topkapi Palace to the mosque, on the day of Bayram.

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  The Hippodrome of Constantinople. In the background the Obelisks of the Byzantine Emperors Theodosius II and Constantine VII. On the left the Mosque of Sultan Ahmed I.

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  View of Kağıthane on the shores of the Golden Horn.

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  View of Kara ağaç on the shore of the Golden Horn.

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  View of Aynalıkavak on the north-eastern shore of the Golden Horn.

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  View of the Ottoman shipyards of Kasımpaşa on the Golden Horn.

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  Wedding ceremony, most probably of Ottomans of higher rank.

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  View of Istanbul from Büyükdere, on the European shores of the Bosporus.

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  View of Tophane square and the Fountain of Mahmut I.

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  View of Istanbul from Pera (Beyoğlu).

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  View of Üsküdar from Pera (Beyoğlu).

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  View of the park of Pera, next to the cemetery. This park started off the area around today's Taxim square and through the neighborhoods of Gümüşsuyu and Fındıklı it reached the shores of Bosporus.

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  View of Bosporus and Üsküdar from Maiden's Tower. On the right the Mihrimah Sultan Mosque.

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  View of the summer palace of the Sultan at Beşiktaş, at the place of which the Palace of Dolmabahçe was built in the 19th century.

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  The seaside kiosk of Sultan Selim III at Bebek, on the European shores of Bosporus. In this kiosk the Sultan and other Ottoman officials of high ranks gave audience to representatives of foreign states.

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  View of Kandilli on the Asiatic shores of Bosporus. In the foreground some Ottoman men enjoy their supper and amuse themselves.

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  View of Kandili on the Asiatic shores of the Bosporus. In the foreground, Ottoman women dancing. On the left the Anatolian Castle.

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  View of Kandili on the Asiatic shores of the Bosporus. In the foreground some Ottoman men are dancing, while others are enjoying their coffee.

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  View of the Bosporus. On the left the Anatolian Castle, and on the right the Towers of the Rumelian Castle.

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  View of Hünkar Iskelesi, north of Beykoz, on the Asiatic shores of the Bosporus.

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  Panoramic view of the Bosporus from Joshua's Hill (or Hill of Jesus), close to Anadolu Kavağı, on the Asiatic shores of the Bosporus.

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  Ottoman villas at Tarabya, on the European shores of the Bosporus.

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  View of Kefeliköy and part of Büyükdere, on the European shores of the Bosporus.

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  View of Büyükdere, on the European shores of the Bosporus. In the foreground, Ottoman men dancing on a boat.

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  View of the eastern part of Büyükdere, on the European shores of the Bosporus.

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  Fountain at Sarıyer, on the European shores of Bosporus.

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  The Mağlova aqueduct at the Belgrad Forest, on the European shores of Bosporus.

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  Map of Istanbul and its surroundings.

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  Topographical map of Bosporus.

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  The aqueduct of Sultan Mahmut I at Bahçeköy, and the prairie of Büyükdere, on the European shores of Bosporus.