Portraying Ottoman Society European artists who came to Istanbul
as members of diplomatic entourages depicted scenes from
different parts of the Ottoman capital, distinctive costumes
worn by the different classes of people in the empire, and
portraits of foreign ambassadors, interpreters, and increasingly
of Ottoman dignitaries. Vanmour, for example, in addition to
several audience scenes and pictures of Istanbul, painted
various state officials in their typical costume, and these were
published in Marquis de Ferriol's Recueil de cent estampes
représentant différentes nations du Levant in 1714. A number of
paintings of similar size in various collections and museums are
thought to belong to this series of oil paintings by Vanmour.
One of the most notable of the European artists who worked in
Istanbul in the 18th century was a knight of Malta Antoine de
Favray, who arrived in Istanbul in 1762 and was employed by the
French ambassadors Comte de Vergennes and Comte de St. Priest
until 1771. His portraits of Verg