Artwork
Saddles and battle-axes
Saddles and battle-axes is a watercolor work on paper by the Romanticist artist Anonymous Greek artist. It dates from 1809 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
The work is a watercolour titled *Saddles and battle‑axes*, part of a larger series of Ottoman scenes commissioned by Stratford Canning, later Viscount Stratford de Redcliffe (1786‑1880). Canning, serving as first secretary to Robert Adair’s diplomatic mission in Istanbul in 1808, ordered a local artist to record the institutions, architecture and customs he observed.
Subject & Meaning
The image depicts equestrian equipment and weaponry, illustrating aspects of Ottoman military culture. By documenting saddles and battle‑axes, the series aimed to provide a visual record of everyday objects that were otherwise unfamiliar to European audiences, reflecting Canning’s interest in the material culture of the empire.
Technique & Style
The anonymous painter blended Ottoman water‑ and body‑colour techniques—characterised by dense, luminous pigments—with European conventions of linear perspective and spatial organization. This hybrid approach yields a composition that is both richly coloured in the Ottoman tradition and structured according to Western representational norms.
History & Provenance
The artist’s identity remains uncertain; Turkish scholars suggest a connection to the workshop of Konstantin Kapidagli.
The artist’s identity remains uncertain; Turkish scholars suggest a connection to the workshop of Konstantin Kapidagli. In 1810 the young architect Charles Cockerell met the painter in Istanbul, discussing technique through an interpreter, though he never recorded the artist’s name. Cockerell’s copies of the views are now held by the British Museum. The original watercolours entered the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1895, acquired from Canning’s daughter Charlotte.
Artist & collection
![A Pasha travelling with his escort[?], by Anonymous Greek artist](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/anonymous-greek-artist--a-pasha-travelling-with-his-escort--01de32b8fcf30843-w320.webp)
