MAKOVSKY, Konstantin Yegorovich
(b. 1839, Moscow, d. 1915, St. Petersburg)

Unloading Boats on the Bosphorus

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Watercolour on paper laid down on board, 172 x 232 mm
Private collection

This watercolour provides a glimpse into the dockside activities in nineteenth century Istanbul. The left foreground is dominated by a brightly sunlit jetty packed with people working, resting and unloading small vessels. Behind the jetty, the magnificent silhouette of the Hagia Sophia mosque dominates the background, her four minarets piercing the bright sky above.