Constantinople

Sir Muirhead Bone was a Scottish printmaker and watercolor artist noted for his depictions of architectural subjects, city views, landscapes, and his work as a war artist in both the First and Second World Wars. In this panoramic view of Istanbul (formerly called Constantinople), Turkey, seen across the Golden Horn waterway, the Süleymaniye Mosque dominates the urban skyline. One of the great sights of old Istanbul, this imperial mosque was originally built in the sixteenth century during the rule of Suleyman the Magnificent. On the quay in the foreground, men repair sails (or nets), while others stand on the quay or on moored rowboats nearby. In the background, beyond the sailboats at left, is the Hagia Sophia, a former Greek Orthodox Basilica and then an imperial mosque; today, the Hagia Sophia is a grand museum building exemplifying Byzantine architecture at its finest.