Seyh-ül-Islâm, or Grand Mufti

The portrait emphasizes the official status of the Grand Mufti, whose role encompassed interpreting Sharia and advising the state on religious matters. By presenting the mufti in formal attire, the image conveys the intertwining of religious and governmental authority within the Ottoman administrative hierarchy.

The anonymous Greek artist employed a hybrid approach, merging the luminous, layered washes typical of Ottoman water‑and‑body colour with European conventions of linear perspective and spatial organization. This synthesis creates a vivid yet structured representation that reflects cross‑cultural artistic exchange in early‑19th‑century Istanbul.

Stratford Canning, later Viscount Stratford de Redcliffe, commissioned the series shortly after his arrival in Istanbul in 1808, seeking visual records of the city’s institutions and customs. The original drawings remained in his possession until they entered the Victoria and Albert Museum’s collection, where they are now held as part of the museum’s Ottoman holdings.

The series was produced at a time when European diplomats increasingly documented Ottoman society, often employing local artists to capture architectural and ceremonial subjects. The unknown painter is thought by Turkish scholars to have been associated with the workshop of Konstantin Kapidagli, a prominent figure in the Ottoman artistic scene.